No Risk At All gelding tops launch edition of pre-trainer's auction

Joffrey Huet, an agent who operates almost exclusively for British and Irish-based clients, went to €45,000 when securing the top lot - a three-year-old store by Haras de Montaigu stallion No Risk At All - at David Lumet's private auction - held in association with Arqana - on Sunday.

The pre-trainer, who is based in the Loire Valley, has been showing two and three-year-old jumping prospects at his Ecuries de la Ridaudière property for a number of years but has moved this year from a private sale model to a public auctionon the farm.

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Ferry All is out of the winning Lute Antique AQPS mare Ohe Les Allumes and is a half-brother to Apterix, who has won on the Flat as well as over hurdles and fences for Brian Ellison.

The new format led to a clearance rate which dipped slightly below the 50 per cent mark on the day, though both Lumet and Arqana were keen to stress that trade would continue out of the ring over the coming days.

"I was very impressed by the organisation of the event and the hard work of the team that put the show on," said Arqana president Eric Hoyeau. "The good horses were sold and for the prices that we estimated for them, though obviously the percentage to be sold was below standard at this stage.

"The Lumet Show is well established and habits don't change in the blink of an eye. There will certainly be further transactions in the hours to come, in the manner of the previous format of the show, to the advantage of sellers who want to do business."

Lumet told France-Sire: "In previous years we have sold horses up to a fortnight after the show and we will be sounding out our clients to see if they prefer the new auction format or the previous private selling model. We expect the overall figures to be similar to previous years once private sales are taken in to account."

Among the visiting buyers to strike was Nigel Hawke, who landed fillies by Balko for €20,000 and Top Trip for €12,000.

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