Speedy Air De Valse leads the way at €240,000 on day one of Arqana February Sale in Deauville

There were few sprinters who could keep tabs on Air De Valse on her very best days and buyers were quick to push the bidding into six figures for Corine Barande-Barbe's fairytale mare. 

The sole stakes winner by Barande-Barbe's own stallion, Mesnil Des Aigles - a half-brother to the mighty Cirrus Des Aigles - Air De Valse reserved many of her best performances for the straight five furlongs of Longchamp.

In 2020 she defeated subsequent Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded in the Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert, while the following year she just lost out in the Arc day feature itself when going down by a short head to A Case Of You. 

Air De Valse is out of the Poliglote mare Air Bag, a winner of the Listed Prix Ceres who like her famous daughter was owned, bred and trained by Barande-Barbe.

When the dust settled at €240,000 it was Jerome Glandais who emerged victorious, though it was not his primary employer, Haras du Logis Saint Germain's Olivier Carli, that will be adding Air De Valse to their broodmare band. 

Jerome Glandais signs for Air De Valse on behalf of Bridge ConsignmentCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

"She's for Bridge Consignment and ultimately owner Sofiane Benaroussi, who is continuing to invest," said Glandais. "She’s been bought to breed but there’s no decision on which stallion she’ll visit. As you know, Sofiane has a stake in several stallions. She fits into his overall plans which span Flat and jumping."

Swiss-based Benaroussi has made several high-profile purchases in the jumping sector at Arqana but signalled his intentions on the Flat in November when Bridge paid €460,000 on his behalf for a 1/50th share in Zarak and €56,000 for a similar interest in Almanzor. 

BBA Ireland head into six figures to secure Pao Alto sibling

There was plenty of interest late in the session when Al Shaqab's breeding operation, Haras de Bouquetot, offered Majal, a winning daughter of Shalaa and a half sister to the very useful Pao Alto. 

A €200,000 yearling, Majal hails from a deep Gestut Etzean family. Her dam Peaceful Love - by the stud's own stallion, Dashing Blade - is one of no fewer than four black type-winning daughters out of the Surumu mare Peace Time.

BBA Ireland secured Majal for €102,000Credit: Zuzanna LUPA

Standing at the top of the ring to the right of the rostrum, the BBA Ireland duo of Eamonn Reilly and Michael Donohoe won out at €102,000. 

"She's been bought for a breeder in Ireland and he will make his mind up on a choice of cover," said Reilly. "I thought she was a nice physical and a good walker, while she has a very good pedigree. We thought she would make around that price."

Lieu des Champs celebrates two high-priced sales of jumping stock

The two highest-priced jumps-bred lots to change hands were both consigned by Richard Powell's Haras de Lieu des Champs. 

The Saint Des Saints mare Santa Fix won over hurdles and fences in France for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who enjoyed considerable success in Britain with her half brother Fixe Le Kap. 

Out of the Turgeon mare Lady Fix, Santa Fix boasts one of the great Auteuil families of Kotkijet and Katko further down the page, and has already produced a yearling colt and a two-year-old filly, both by Great Pretender.

Paul Basquin, the man behind both Haras du Saubouas and Genetique Obstacle, signed at €92,000.

The well-bred Santa Fix sells for €92,000 Credit: Zuzanna LUPA

"She's a beautiful mare with good size about her," said Basquin. "She comes from a good family and is the daughter of an excellent broodmare sire in Saint Des Saints.

"We have bought her in partnership with Haras d'Etreham and she will go to Paradiso. We intend to support the stallion and send him some quality mares, while later on we will stand behind his progeny at the sales."

Paradiso raced in the Genetique Obstacle silks when trained by David Cottin and is embarking on his first season covering at Etreham’s jumps satellite, Haras de la Tuilerie. A son of Kapgarde, he won at both Grade 3 and Listed level over hurdles at Auteuil and is from the stallion-rich family of Nickname and No Risk At All. 

Lieu des Champs also consigned Raffles Carlo, a daughter of Martaline and Scilly Isles Chase heroine Gitane Du Berlais, who was bought over the phone by Highflyer Bloodstock under the name Just Four Men for €54,000.

Highflyer's David Minton said of plans for Raffles Carlo: "She will be covered by No Risk At All in France before heading back to England for a partnership between two English and one Irish stud. We know the family very well as we bought Gitane Du Berlais for Simon and Isaac and I've been following her other progeny closely."

David Minton secured a daughter of Grade 1 winning mare Gitane Du Berlais, who will be covered by No Risk At All for an Anglo Irish breeding consortiumCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Gitane Du Berlais has so far produced a Kapgarde filly in Raffles Gitane - a winner over hurdles and fences in the double green silks  for trainer Harry Whittington - as well as a full-brother to Raffles Carlo and a colt by Walk In The Park. 

The presence of a €240,000 top lot helped day one to a nine per cent bump on turnover compared to the same session in 2022, an impressive result considering 33 fewer lots went through the ring. 111 horses changed hands at a clearance rate of 75 per cent for a total of €1,826,000. The average of €16,261 was an impressive 38 per cent rise year-on-year.

The concluding session begins at 11am local time on Wednesday.  

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