Godolphin go to €380,000 to secure son of in-demand Siyouni

With a roll of honour that features three-time Group 1 winner Laurens, who annexed the Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane this season, there was always going to be high demand for the progeny of Haras de Bonneval's Siyouni at the Arqana August Sale, and so it proved during Monday's third and final session.

Anthony Stroud, acting on behalf of Godolphin, had the final say at €380,000 for a colt who was also on the radar of Phoenix Thoroughbreds.

Bred by Chris Wright's Stratford Place Stud, who also bred flying first-season sire Bungle Inthejungle, the April-born colt is a brother to Souvenir Delondres, who won the 2014 Prix Eclipse – a Group 3 juvenile contest over six furlongs – and was offered by Hubert Honore’s Haras d’Ommeel.

“Physically I thought he compared very favourably with the horses I saw yesterday and Saturday,” said Stroud. “He's by a serious stallion, comes from a very good nursery and my valuation was in line with the price he made.”

View sales results and buyers

Progeny of Siyouni proved popular throughout the session, with a filly fetching €240,000 from US agent Justin Casse early on.

Consigned by Haras d’Etreham, the March-born filly hails from the Wildenstein family’s prolific ‘P’ family and is the first foal out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Perle Rare, who in turn is the first produce of the 2010 Prix de Pomone scorer Peinture Rare.

“My client isn't awake yet so I can't disclose her name,” said Casse. “But I can confirm that the filly will be trained in America.”

Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget also took home a daughter of Siyouni after going to €200,000 to purchase the filly out of King’s Best mare Orion Best, meaning his new charge is bred on the same cross as exceptional miler Ervedya.

Roll of Honore

Haras d’Ommeel's Honore had earned himself a Calvados or two on Monday evening, having also consigned an Intello colt who was knocked down to David Menuisier and owner Clive Washbourn – the team behind Group 2 scorer and Juddmonte International hope Thundering Blue – for €290,000.

The pair emerged on top following a heated round of bidding, with Fiona Carmichael and Amanda Skiffington as underbidders.

The March-born colt was bred by trainer Nicolas Clement out of Listed winner Winter Fashion, who already has two stakes performers to her name with Flower Fashion runner-up in a Listed race over a mile for Clement last year.

“This colt really caught my eye when I saw him yesterday,” said Menuisier. “I thought he was the best colt in the sale and feel very lucky to have an owner with the capacity to invest in top-quality horses.

"I'm a fan of the sire and there's a bit of speed on the dam side, so I can't see why we wouldn't win the Prix du Jockey Club with him!”

Intello – who returned to Cheveley Park Stud from France this year – is quickly making a name for himself with Intellogent successful in the Prix Jean Prat and Louis D’Or finishing less than a length behind Study Of Man in the Prix du Jockey Club.

The striking son of Intello who went the way of David MenuisierCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Sire on fire

Two days after his first-crop daughter Beyond Reason won the Group 3 Prix du Calvados across the road at Deauville racecourse, a second-crop daughter of Australia went the way of David Redvers for €220,000.

Offered by leading August Sale consignor Ecurie des Monceaux, she is the first foal out of a half-sister to Arc heroine Danedream and Chester Vase winner Venice Beach, from a family that traces back to the prolific Lady Berry.

"She was my pick of the day," said Redvers. "She's made like a Classic filly, looks a painting and walks beautifully. She'll be trained in Britain but I'm not sure with whom."

Deauville by the Sea

The Tsui family have enjoyed a tremendous association with the great Urban Sea and her descendants, including her son Sea The Stars, who is responsible for the family's Irish Oaks heroine Sea Of Class.

That Classic-winning filly's trainer William Haggas will now take charge of another daughter of Sea The Stars for the Tsui family after Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International went to €200,000 to secure a February-born chestnut filly by the sire.

“She's a super filly and I felt the price was very reasonable considering the quality of her page,” said De Watrigant, who was stood next to Urban Sea's former trainer Jean Lesbordes.

“She's really been stamped by her sire and is very relaxed, which is always a good sign. She'll be trained by William Haggas.”

The filly is out of Ponte Vespucci, a daughter of Anabaa and Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Porlezza.

Urban Sea has barely been away from the headlines this year. Derby hero Masar, a son of New Approach who counts the blue hen as his fourth dam, is inbred 3x4 to her, while Belmont Oaks heroine Athena, a filly by Camelot, is out of Urban Sea’s daughter Cherry Hinton.

Life’s a breeze

Willie Browne of Mocklershill will prep a son of exciting young sire Dabirsim for next year’s breeze-up sales after George Mullins landed a winning bid of €165,000 for an April-born son of unraced mare Sosquaw, from the family of high-class juveniles Alexandrie and Russian Blue.

Dabirsim is best known as the progenitor of last year’s Albany Stakes scorer Different League – who realised an eyewatering 1.5 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale – while another daughter Coeur De Beaute was second to Teppal in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Browne was involved in one of the greatest pinhooks of all time when he teamed up with Jim McCartan of Gaybrook Lodge Stud to sell a Street Sense colt – later named Walk In The Sun – for a record €1.4 million at last year’s Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, after the pair had paid just $15,000 for the colt at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Timely update

A daughter of Invincible Spirit who counts the legendary Time Charter as her fourth dam benefited from an important update in advance of the sale, with her year-older half-sister Early Time winning on her second start and and finishing fourth in a Listed sprint since the catalogue was printed.

She was bought for a cool €180,000 by Prime Equestrian, whose distinctive lime and navy silks have been carried to victory in Pattern company by Spoil The Fun and Unilateral.

“She's a second foal,” said Alexandre Puyfourcat, racing manager for Prime Equestrian, “and the dam's first looks like she will gain black time very soon, she was very unlucky last time out. We bought five yearlings this week and will sit down tonight to make decisions on their trainers.”

Figures

Trade echoed that of last year, with aggregate sales up slightly from €9,369,500 to €9,427,000, the average trimmed from €85,177 to €82,693 and the median rising by €5,000 to €70,000.

The median across all three days remained unchanged at €110,000, the average dropped four per cent to €159,701 and aggregate sales fell by six per cent to €36,891,000.

Other reports from the Arqana August Sale:

Day one Daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah stars

Day two Ballylinch Stud splashes out €1.4 million for Dubawi colt