Goliath Du Berlais yearling stands above the fray on day two at Arqana

No fewer than 20 yearlings from the first crop of Goliath Du Berlais feature in the yearling section of the catalogue across days two and three of Arqana's Autumn Sale and it was Haras des Sablonnets who were left to celebrate after a regally bred colt separated himself from the pack at a session-topping €130,000 on Tuesday.

His winning Gentlewave dam, No News, already has two black-type performers to her credit; her daughter Messagere retired unbeaten after a short career crowned by a five-length success in the Grade 3 Prix Sagan, and is by Golaiath Du Berlais’ own sire Saint Des Saints, while her half-brother Paradiso was no less impressive in snaring Grade 3 and Listed honours.

Such talent among the colt's siblings shouldn't be entirely surprising as No News is a member of the remarkable Wildenstein 'N' family.

She is a granddaughter of Grade 1 winner N'Avoue Jamais, herself sister to No Risk At All and Nickname.

Davide Satalia signs for the session-topping son of Goliath Du BerlaisCredit: Zuzanna Lupa/Arqana

The job of guiding the session-topper's racing career will fall to Chantilly-based Italian Davide Satalia, who signed the docket and intends to put together a partnership of owners for a horse who may well have prospects as a future stallion.

"He's a good-looking horse with some size and good bone," said Satalia. "He has a good walk on him and he's from a very good family."

Demand strong once more for Doctor Dino

Highflyer Bloodstock dominated this session 12 months ago, going hard after stock by Haras du Mesnil's stallion star Doctor Dino.

Here, David Minton had to go to €90,000 to secure a Mesnil-bred colt from the family of the stud's Hong Kong Vase and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Ange Gabriel.

Buying on behalf of a British-based client, Minton pointed to the maternal half of the pedigree - as well as some Haras du Mesnil history - in explaining his desire to land the colt.

"I think he's the nicest horse today and he has a lot of Poliglote in him," said Minton. "The Poliglote mare was the most important factor.

"I can remember [fourth dam] Ardoon, who was trained by Gavin Pritchard-Gordon and raced by Frank Feeney - Antonia Devin's father - and who named his stud in County Kildare after him."

The Doctor Dino colt who went to Highflyer for €90,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa/Arqana

Doctor Dino was also a determining factor in Antonin Pelsy and Hugo Merienne's purchase at €85,000 of Roc Dino, a colt bred by Haras de Montaigu and the first produce of the high-class Martaline mare Presidente Line.

A half-sister to three black-type performers including Invicter - who landed the Grade 2 Prix Georges de Talhouet-Roy at Auteuil - Presidente Line won at Listed level and was Grade 3-placed for trainer Alain Couetil, as well as leading the field down to the last in the Mares' Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019.

Sister to Fixe Le Kap flies the flag for Beaumec De Houelle

Agent Marc-Antoine Berghgracht fought off spirited opposition to win out at €66,000 for a Beaumec De Houelle half-sister to Fixe Le Kap, formerly a smart hurdler for Simon Munir and Nicky Henderson.

Her Great Pretender sister A Mi Manera proved even better, landing the Grade 2 Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiegne as well as the Grade 3 Prix Roger Saint and a pair of Listed prizes, before being sold here to Irish clients as a broodmare prospect in 2019.

Belle Fix, a daughter of Beaumec De Houelle, set the early pace among the jumps-bred yearlings on offer at Arqana on TuesdayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

"Of course we like her a lot and she made a bit more than we thought but she has resale value," said Berghgracht. "First she will be a racehorse and will go to Isabelle Pacault. She's been bought for Haras de Beauvoir. Hopefully she's good and she will eventually go back to the farm."

Asked what he made of the market, he added: "Very strong. First you have to fight with the Irish and English pinhookers and they have plenty of money to spend. And of course we all want the same. As I said, we didn't think she would make this but if want them, you have to go [for it]."

The 'coup de coeur' of Pierre Pilarski

Pierre Pilarski is one of France's most versatile owners, moving seamlessly from campaigning dual Prix d'Amerique champion Bold Eagle in the realm of trotting, to crack National Hunt chasers such as Feu Follet and Group performers on the Flat in the mould of Making Moovies.

At €65,000 Pilarski won out for the already named Miss Altea Blue, a Great Pretender filly out of the Prix Sytaj heroine Miss Salsa Blue, who raced in the claret and blue 'L'Autonomie' silks of her owner-breeder Catherine Coiffier.

Pilarski explained that the filly ticked the boxes not only in terms of her pedigree but because of the importance he attaches to the dam having ability on the track to match the page.

Prolific owner Pierre Pilarski gets to know his newest purchase, a yearling filly by Great Pretender bought at Arqana on TuesdayCredit: Racing Post/Scott Burton

"When they are well-bred and they have run well, you don’t go wrong all that often," said Pilarski. "With her there's the hope that one day, if my son takes an interest in breeding, she could be a beautiful filly that turns into a wonderful broodmare for him."

Miss Altea Blue was prepped and consigned by Haras de la Cote Fleurie and, standing with the apple of his eye outside her box, Pilarskli said: "She boasts a fantastic page. Her dam was a champion and I like the sire a lot, he is really becoming an important stallion.

"And to have Blue Bresil as the damsire is great too. Physically she is perfect."

Pilarski added: "After that it's not pure science. My trainers Hector de Lageneste and Guillaume Macaire liked her. She's our 'coup de coeur' [the choice of the heart] but with yearlings - and it's the same with trotting yearlings - you have to trust your instincts to some extent. If you really fall for a horse, you can't rationalise it on economic grounds."

Petit at the double for well-bred stores

The first half of the day featured a selection of two-year-old stores and agent Guy Petit struck with successive lots on behalf of owner Clive Boultbee Brooks.

Petit went to €85,000 to secure a son of Karaktar - already named Monticello and consigned by Haras des Pierres Follets - out of the Poliglote mare Primeiradama and whose granddam produced Presidente Line.

"He’ll race in France," said Petit. "I thought he had everything to be a racehorse. We’re very happy to have him and time will tell. I told my client that if he wins the Champion Hurdle he’ll be cheap."

Kupka Vallis was one of two store purchases made by Guy Petit on behalf of Clive Boultbee BrooksCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

That purchase was swiftly followed by Kupka Vallis for €80,000, a Saint Des Saints filly from an excellent AQPS family who can claim the talented Fidelio Vallis as a full-brother and Chirico Vallis as a half-brother.

As well as sending out pointers from his Herefordshire base, Boultbee Brooks races horses in France with Mikael Mescam, Richard Chotard and Ludovic Gadbin, while the Grade 2-placed Sebastopol is his flagbearer in Britain, trained by his neighbour Tom Lacey.

An increased store offering sold at the same rate as 2021 of 69 per cent, with 53 two-year-olds changing hands for a total of €1,143,000 at an average of €21,566, a fall of 16 per cent year-on-year.

Day three on Wednesday sees the remainder of the yearling stock pass through the ring, starting at 11am local time.

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