Relations to Royale Pagaille and Politologue feature among high-quality Lumet Show selection

Those involved with the Lumet Show will be hoping this year's sale can follow on from previous sessions and produce a number of high-class performers.

With graduates including Grade 1 Clarence House Chase winner Editeur Du Gite, the unbeaten Grade 2 Leopardstown bumper winner Jeroboam Machin and Auteuil Grade 3-winning hurdler Guarana, it is an event which has risen in prominence over the years. 

The sale's vet Natacha Gimenez said: "The quality of the horses grows year on year, so much so that David [Lumet, joint organiser] has the choice to refuse lots of horses because we cannot take more than 65. David doesn't usually accept horses under a certain height, but some are just at the limit of the size and are a good model and have good pedigrees."

Held in partnership with Arqana at Lumet's Ecuries de la Ridaudieres, a farm at Becon-Les-Granits near Angers in western France, the unique event sees a number of pre-trained two and three-year-old jumpers put through all three paces to potential buyers in the morning before going under the hammer in the afternoon.

Gimenez added: "The horses are at the stables two months before the sale. At first, some of them who've never had a saddle are walking and at the end of the first month they start to do small canters and to jump, first in the arena and then outside. This week every horse repeats their canter and they'll do the same in front of everybody on Saturday."

On the appeal of the sale, she adds: "Every year we have lots of people from England and Ireland as well as Germany, but it's mostly made up of French people."

An It's Gino gelding from the family of Royale Pagaille features in the saleCredit: Grossick Racing

Alongside lots by established sires Bathyron, Born To Sea, Gemix, Great Pretender, It’s Gino, Joshua Tree, Kapgarde, Karaktar, Masked Marvel and Spanish Moon, there are also youngsters from the first crops of familiar names Headman, Moises Has, Way To Paris and Telecaster.

Highlights includes a Kapgarde two-year-old filly from the family of the brilliant Big Buck's (lot 14); a Karaktar three-year-old gelding who is a relation to Grade 1 winners Rendons Grace and Homme Du Jour (24); plus a two-year-old Nirvana Du Berlais filly out of a sister to Grade 2 Prix des Drags scorer Princesse Kap and from the family of Grade 1 Champion Chase winner Politologue (28). The aforementioned Way To Paris is represented by a two-year-old gelding from the black-type family of Odeillo Du Mathan and Tamaroc Du Mathan (31). 

Others include an It's Gino two-year-old gelding from the immediate family of Grade 1 Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille (37); a Great Pretender three-year-old half-brother to the high-class Elvis Mail (54); plus a Nirvana Du Berlais two-year-old half-brother to Graded winner Porto Pollo and Listed scorer Six One (61).

The well-related Goliath Du Berlais gelding Koliath De Couely topped last year's sale, making €60,000 to Joffret Huet's JH Bloodstock. Jereboam Machin, who came from the 2021 renewal, was found for just €10,000 by Vincent Le Roy before being traded on and had been at the head of the betting for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper before being ruled out with an injury in February.

At the time of the catalogue's publication, Lumet said: "Since the creation of the Lumet Show, 20 horses have gone on to win at Group or Graded level and nearly 50 others have acquired black type. These results are the fruits of our selection process and preparation work, which we aim to do better and better each year. 

"We would like to thank all the owners, breeders and buyers who place their trust in us."

The sale itself gets under way from 2.30pm local time on Saturday. 

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