Remembering Magalen Bryant: late owner's stock powers Arqana NH market

The final day of the Arqana Autumn Mixed sale was given over to National Hunt breeding stock and foals, with the dispersal of an array of horses belonging to the late American owner Magalen Bryant featuring heavily.

Bryant - who died at the age of 92 in June - was an instantly recognisable figure at Auteuil, her red hats matching the cap worn by her jockeys.

She raced some of the most important jumpers in France over a long career and enjoyed a trio of Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris wins with Milord Thomas and So French (twice), as well as racing crack hurdler Blue Dragon.

And it was his Poliglote sister, Fabulous Dragoness [lot 743], who led the way when making €300,000 in foal to Doctor Dino.

Thierry Delegue struck the winning bid and revealed that the mare - who in addition to her pedigree boasts victories in AQPS bumpers at all levels up to Grade 1 - would not be lost to French breeding.

Fabulous Dragoness led the way during the National Hunt breeding stock sale at Arqana on WednesdayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

"She is obviously a mare with nothing but positives," said Delegue. "She is wonderfully bred, she has produced some fabulous performances and has a lovely pedigree.

"She is young, she has been very well covered by the best stallion so she has all you would want to start a breeding programme."

Delegue added: "Arnaud van Robais is passionate about jump racing and bought a three-year-old, Icare Du Seuil, who has won both his starts. He is also interested in breeding and this is the first step in that direction."

Van Robais is the chief executive of Rivolier, a company specialising in hunting gear and personal security.

Support for Success Days

Laterana [lot 703] was another to shine in Bryant's two-tone blue silks, finishing third over the Auteuil hurdles in the Grade 2 Prix Amadou and winning the Grade 3 Grand Prix de Pau over fences.

A daughter of Saint Des Saints, her brothers Laterano and Land Baron earned over €600,000 between them, while her Pistolet Bleu dam, Latran, is a half-sister to Free World.

In foal to Great Pretender, Laterana sold to Rupert Pritchard-Gordon for €140,000 at Arqana on WednesdayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Carrying to Great Pretender, Laterana went to Rupert Pritchard-Gordon for €140,000 on behalf of owner Robert Ng.

"We bought her to support Success Days, who had the top price among the filly foals sold at Tattersalls Ireland last week," said Pritchard-Gordon. "He's a son of Jeremy and we like the cross, with Appreciate It being a super horse.

"She's a lovely mare, beautifully presented by Richard Powell and his team and we're delighted to get her."

One lot later Laterana's Kapgarde sister also excited plenty of interest among bidders.

At €50,000 it was Pierre Boulard who won out for La Garde Royale [lot 704], standing alongside Haras de Saint-Voir principal Nicolas de Lageneste, with the mare being bought in partnership with vet Bertrand Collette.

La Garde Royale is in foal to Doctor Dino and the family history was further burnished when her colt foal [lot 696] by the same sire sold to Seamus Murphy for €47,000.

The ten broodmares catalogued from the Bryant dispersal realised €648,000, with seven foals adding another €198,000 to the total.

Story turns full circle for Haras de Maulepaire with Black Luna

The Soldier Of Fortune mare Black Luna [lot 834] was another six-figure lot that will be staying in France, after Chauvigny Global Equine's Sebastien Desmontils struck at €125,000.

Sebastien Desmontils and Pierrick Rouxel teamed up to acquire Black Luna at Arqana on WednesdayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Presented by Haras de Montgermont, Black Luna was a Listed winner over hurdles and foaled a Doctor Dino colt before being covered this season by Masked Marvel. Pierrick Rouxel explained she will now head to the historic Haras de Maulepaire.

"We fell in love with her and so we went a little bit over budget but we're delighted to get her," said Rouxel. "This is a family that I'm very fond of, having been one of Monsieur de Moussac's very good families. Before that the line traces back to the Puerari family, who at the time were breeding at Maulepaire. It's just come back to the origins of her pedigree."

Goliath Du Berlais foals in demand

Midlands Equine signed at €82,000 for the top-priced foal, a Doctor Dino colt [lot 748] from the family of Nickname called Lordino Bello

Haras d'Etreham newcomer Goliath Du Berlais was also in demand, with the stud themselves going to €55,000 for the already-named Dixon Lake [lot 859], who is out of a Mull Of Kintyre sister to Tiger Roll and Austrian School.

And Ed Partridge of Valentine Bloodstock also fell for a foal by the same sire, parting with €54,000 for the colt who, like Lordino Bello, was consigned by Domaine de l'Etang.

A foal son of Goliath Du Berlais called Lumino Bello sold to Valentine Bloodstock for €54,000 at Arqana on WednesdayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Out of the Martaline mare Felina Bella - the winner of a Grade 2 AQPS bumper - Lumino Bello [lot 667] is from the family of Envoi Allen and Eudipe.

Partridge said: "We tried very hard yesterday to buy a yearling and we were struggling, the trade yesterday was absolutely brutal. We love the sire.

"I've been looking for one by him all year and this was the best here by a million miles. We've probably gone a little bit over budget but we just had to have him. I think the sire is probably going to be champion sire in France in years to come, taking over from his sire Saint Des Saints.

"We'll get him back to the UK to break him in and he'll be trained by my mother-in-law Jane Williams."

Autumn Mixed sale ends on a high

With 40 more lots offered than last year and the presence of the high-quality Bryant breeding, the day powered past the 2020 figures, with turnover increasing from €2,318,000 to €3,676,000 at a clip of 83 per cent clearance.

Reflecting on the week as a whole, Arqana bloodstock director Freddy Powell said: "Starting with the horses in training on Monday we had confidence the buyers would be here in force and so we went hunting for wildcards to add to the catalogue.

"That rolled into yesterday's yearling session and then, looking at the breeding stock today, we had a really good offer alongside the horses of Madame Bryant."

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