Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Ramadan tops Arc Sale at €1.5 million

A quartet of high-class racing prospects who have international targets on their agenda starred at Arqana's sale on the eve of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the most glittering and consequential of weekends for French racing.

Fresh from his victory in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp earlier in the day, Ramadan shone brightest at Saint-Cloud bringing €1,500,000 from Lion Rock Bloodstock.

He was closely followed by this season's Deutsches Derby winner Palladium, who was knocked down to Highflyer Bloodstock for €1.4m, while the Aga Khan's regally bred Frankel gelding Zarir made €1,300,000 to Paulins Racing.

The penultimate horse in the ring, Listed winner Trafalgar Square, was the final horse to make a seven-figure sum when attracting a winning bid of €1,150,000.

Nurlan Bizakov's homebred Le Havre colt Ramadan was the most expensive horse sold on Saturday night, with the son of Le Havre attracting bids from around the elegantly-roped ring but it was Vin Cox, signing on behalf of Lion Rock, who prevailed with Ramadan set to continue his career in Hong Kong.

Trained by Christopher Head, Ramadan came into the sale buoyed by the biggest win of his career in the Group 2 contest at Longchamp. His previous best result had been two Group 3 successes; Deauville's Prix Daphnis and the Prix de Fontainebleau at Longchamp.

He was fourth in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last season behind Los Angeles, who is disputing favouritism for the Arc, with Illinois, also a Group 2 winner at Longchamp on Saturday, third in that race. On another start in Group 1 company, Ramadan was fifth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

The son of the late Le Havre has one of the most recognisable pedigrees around.

A half-brother to Listed Fleur De Lys Stakes winner and Group 3 Hoppings Stakes second Rasima, he is out of Raushan. 

Palladium: Deutsches Derby hero sells to Highflyer for €1.4 million at the Arqana Arc SaleCredit: Christophe Tanière

She is a winning Dalakhani full-sister to Chinese White, victorious in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes for the late Lady O'Reilly. Their dam, Blandford Stakes winner Chiang Mai, is a Sadler's Wells half-sister to the brilliant Rafha, Prix de Diane winner and dam of Invincible Spirit and Kodiac. It is also the family of Group 1 winners and sires Mishriff, who stands at Sumbe, and Pride Of Dubai.

Deutsches Derby winner Palladium became the most expensive son of Gleneagles to sell at public auction when bringing the hammer down at €1,400,000 during the Arqana Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud.

The three-year-old colt was offered by German syndicate Liberty Racing through OH Consignment and Highflyer Bloodstock signed for the half-brother to Listed winner Panjari. 

Palladium was bred by Gestut Fahrhof, who sold the son of Listed Hanshin Cup winner and Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio runner-up Path Wind for €80,000 to Baumgarten at the BBAG September Yearling Sale.

Trained by Henk Grewe, Palladium was placed in both of his starts at two and this year won his maiden at Dusseldorf and was fourth in the Group 2 Union Rennen prior to his narrow Derby success.

He is the second successive winner of the German Classic for the syndicate, who also race Fantastic Moon, winner of last year's Hamburg race who is in Paris to take his place in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe field.

Those few in the pavilion at Saint-Cloud racecourse who attempted to applaud as the colt was led out of the ring were hushed from the rostrum but the shiver of excitement that went through the assembled crowd was noticeable. 

Zarir, the Prix Ganay and Prix Foy runner-up from the family of the outstanding Zarkava, was bought by Paulins Racing. 

Vin Cox, who took up the role as general manager of Yulong Investments in Nagambie Victoria last December, spoke to Arqana following the sale.

"We will bring him back to Australia and we feel he is a very strong staying prospect and will suit our staying programme. It is brilliant to get a horse of that quality from the Aga Khan Studs and we are very happy to have him. We're looking forward to campaigning him in Australia."

It had been a very successful day for Yulong as their expensive purchase Via Sistina won the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes while their stallions enjoyed significant wins. Written Tycoon sired the Group 2 Danehill Stakes winner First Settler and Lucky Vega, Yulong's Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner who shuttles between Australia and the Irish National Stud, got off the mark with his very first runner. 

The four-year-old gelding was sold with an entry in next month's Group 2 Bahrain International Trophy, which it seems he is unlikely to take up, but his pedigree could feature another Arc weekend Group 1 winner by Sunday lunchtime.

Unbeaten Siyouni filly Zarigana who is out of Zarkamiya, the Listed winner and Group 1-placed daughter of Zarkava, is the odds-on favourite to emulate her legendary grandmother and win the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Zarir shares his sire Frankel with Zarkamiya and his dam, the Group 3 Prix Minerve winner Zarshana, is a Sea The Stars half-sister to Zarkava.

In addition to her unbeaten racing career Zarkava, who was recently retired from broodmare duties by the Aga Khan Studs, excelled in that sphere. She is the dam of Group 1 winner Zarak with the son of Dubawi established as one of the best young sires in France. 

The Aga Khan's Prix Ganay runner-up Zarir during his €1.3 million sale to Paulins Racing at the Arqana Arc SaleCredit: taniere

While those three could have been expected to sell well, the seven-figure price tag of Trafalgar Square, who had finished second to Illinois in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay earlier in the day, was a little more left-field.

A three-year-old gelding by Kendargent, he won the Listed Prix de l'Avre earlier in the year for trainer Patrice Cottier and was bought by Omar Ismail Sh Ghrghar who was active at the earlier Arab Sale during which he bought horses to race in Dubai and Libya. The owner has horses in training in France with Gianluca Bietolini and Carlos and Yann Lerner.

Sold for €1,150,000 with an entry in the Prix Royal-Oak, he is a half-brother to Listed winner Times Square, a daughter of Zarak who was placed in the Prix Marcel Boussac and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

Their four-year-old Shalaa half-sister, Times Boulevard, was third in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon.

Out of the unraced Siyouni mare See You Always, they are from the family of Irish Derby winner and sire Latrobe, and Newspaperofrecord, the Breeders' Cup winner who is the dam of Saturday's Curragh maiden winner Giselle.

 Omar Ismail Sh Ghrghar also spent €150,000 on Believer from Bietolini's stable at the Arc Sale. The three-year-old son of Make Believe has won twice this year and his unraced dam is a Mastercraftsman granddaughter of Balladeuse.

The only other horse to make in excess of €500,000 was Mondo Man who was knocked down to NBB Racing at €520,000.

By Mondialiste, he was fourth to Calandagan in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot for trainers Pia and Joakim Brandt. 

Bred by Elwick Stud, he is one of three full-siblings all to have won out of Moghrama, an unraced daughter of Harbour Watch. She is a half-sister to Group 2 Zabeel Mile winner Mythical Magic and Esentepe, successful in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn for Richard Hannon snr.

Listed winner and Prix Chaudenay second Trafalgar Square is hammered down to Omar Ismil Sh Ghrghar for €1.15 millionCredit: Christophe Tanière

Harold Kirk loves to buy a horse or two at this sale and it was no surprise to see his name appear on the buyers' sheet.

With Pierre Boulard, he bought Livio a three-year-old son of Cokoriko with very recent Graded form on the page. He won the Grade 3 Prix du Tremblay at Lyon-Parilly last Sunday on his track debut.

The AQPS gelding is the first foal out of Etoile Du Berger, a triple winner by Network and a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Jazz Manouche who was third in the Grade 1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure.

The clearance rate for Saturday evening's auction declined dramatically on last year, with just 62.5 per cent of the lots offered finding a buyer in contrast with 76 per cent last year.

However, even with fewer horses sold, the other key metrics all recorded increases with turnover improving by 5.8 per cent year-on-year to €10,380,000. 

The average leaped by a whopping 35.4 per cent from €306,594 in 2023 to €415,200 with the median of €280,000 coming in 14 per cent higher than last year.

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