No missing the target for Gregory Guillois as sole lot sells to Emmet Mullins for €80,000

Is there more pressure taking 20 yearlings or one to a sale? It would be difficult to tell from the calm exterior of Gregory Guillois, who at the Arqana V2 Sale on Tuesday led up Haras de la Cuviniere's sole lot, a Galiway colt out of the Kendargent mare Kenwind [lot 421].

When the pair exited the ring, the already-named Winday had been hammered down to Emmet Mullins for €80,000, a fine result for Guillois and his wife Aurore who - as reported in Tuesday's Racing Post - branched out on their own last year and made their Deauville debut at the 2023 October Yearling Sale.

"He's been a pleasure to look after and I have to thank the breeder and the owner for placing their trust in me," said Guillois. "The result is that he's made a very good price and gone to a very good stable. It's wonderful. 

"We moved to the Haras de la Cuviniere in July last year and we do our best to look after each horse as an individual, and to give them the time they need."

La Cuviniere consigned for the first time at Arqana last October, when they sold a Recoletos filly for €50,000. 

As for Winday's breeders, brothers Robert and Paul Schlienger, there was delight that their decision to back youth in the shape of Guillois has paid off so handsomely. 

Breeders Robert and Paul Schlienger with Gregory Guillois (Haras de la Cuviniere) and their Galiway colt (lot 421), who sold for €80,000Credit: Racing Post/Burton

"He's a real Galiway and is the mare's first offspring, so you can't be anything other than delighted," said Robert Schlienger.

"We already knew Gregory and he's a great guy, so we said we'd have him consign the colt. And I think we'll be staying with him, there's just no reason to change! He's very professional and the work is done well, so he was a good choice."

Paul Schlienger added: "We wanted a smaller consignor as we are small as well, and didn't want our horse to get lost in a bigger enterprise."

Kenwind has a Galiway filly foal on the ground called Kenyway, who Becquart described as "even stronger than her brother," and is carrying to Keiai Nautique, the son of Deep Impact who stands at Karwin Stud. 

Kenwind is a Kendargent half-sister to black-type horses on the Flat and over hurdles, notably Group 3 Prix de la Porte Maillot runner-up Bertranicus, and the dual Listed-winning hurdler Becquarainbow, who in turn is the dam of Kerry National winner Poker Party and Storminator, who landed the Grade 3 Prix Leopold d'Orsetti at Enghien in the colours of Guy Pariente. 

Emmet Mullins signs for the Galiway colt at Arqana's v2 SaleCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

"I thought he was one of the nicest horses here today," said Mullins. "He’s a nice stamp of a horse with a decent pedigree by a dual-purpose sire. 

"It’s a good cross, Galiway and Kendargent, with Gala Marceau and all that. He ticks a lot of boxes and is a nice individual."

Mullins said he had bought the colt on spec and that he would be the first progeny of Galiway he had trained,

"We’ll give him every chance [on the Flat] and he should make up into a nice back-end two-year-old next year," said Mullins. "That will all stand to him if he does go over hurdles in time."

Read more from Arqana:

‘This will change my children's lives’ - Coulonces in clover as €12,000 investment returns a €420,000 sales star 

'The thinking was to try to be a little bit different' - Menuisier on the buyers' sheet at Arqana with new syndicates launch looming