A memorable renewal of Arqana's Breeding Stock Sale concluded in Deauville Dec. 6 with significant gains across the range of market indices.
Ring turnover during the four days rose by 37% year-on-year at €56,800,500 (US$59,859,207), despite just 17 more lots coming under the hammer. The average price was up by 27% at €76,757 ($80,890), while the median went from €15,000 ($15,807) to €17,250 ($18,178), a 15% gain.
The clearance rate improved to 80% from 76% as 740 mares, fillies, and foals, 52 more than last year, changed hands from 926 offered. The priciest of those was the €3.2 million ($3,373,071) Malavath (Lot 199), who sold to Moyglare Stud during the Dec. 3 record-breaking session, which generated higher turnover than all four sessions in 2021 combined.
The fourth session was led by BBA Ireland's 45th out of a total of 46 purchases as the Frankel filly Save The World (Lot 866) sold for €52,000 ($54,800). That acquisition took the agency's spend to a combined €9,211,000 ($9,707,012), 16% of the entire sale's turnover and 6% of all sold lots.
The unraced 3-year-old, who was offered by Haras d'Ombreville, is out of the winning and group 3-placed Jellicle Ball.
Jellicle Ball is out of Dance Troupe, making her a sibling to the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes (G3) winner Puncher Clynch and this season's Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches (G1) runner-up Gan Teorainn, who also sold to BBA Ireland for 1,000,000gns ($1,255,755) at the recent Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
Agent Jeremy Brummitt, buying on behalf of owner Bjorn Nielsen, raided the final section of the Haras du Quesnay dispersal with the purchase of two well-credentialed 16-year-olds, first going to €50,000 ($52,692) for Theoricienne (Lot 951) before bidding €32,000 ($33,723) for Treasure (Lot 954) just a few lots later.
"It's a privilege to buy two mares from breeders who have tried to breed top-class horses for more than 50 years, instead of just trying to make a quick buck in the sales ring," Brummitt said.
"We're thrilled to get these two, and when the catalog came out we identified them as ideal mates for Stradivarius, so they'll both go to him next season."
Theoricienne, a Kendor half sister to three-time U.S. grade 2 scorer Blacktype, has bred four winners, including the Prix du Gros-Chene (G2) victor Tour to Paris and the stakes-winning She's My Type.
Theoricienne's page traces to her fourth dam Natalma, a near-ubiquitous presence in pedigrees all around the world as the dam of the breed-shaping Northern Dancer.
Treasure, a listed-winning and group 3-placed daughter of Anabaa, has also bred four winners, three of whom have gained black type. Heading her brood is listed Prix Urban Sea winner Tresorerie and King Ottokar, who was third in the Hampton Court Stakes (G3) won by Sangarius.
The Intello filly foal (Lot 409) out of Treasure sold to Ballylinch Stud/BSI for €100,000 ($105,308) during day two of the sale.
"It's very satisfying to breed to mares when you're equally happy if you get a filly or a colt," Brummitt said. "It's also very exciting to buy a mare who still has Natalma on her page. Their appeal to us at this age is a testament to all the time and effort the Head family have put into breeding them.
"They've tried to breed racehorses for six generations, rather than sales horses, and we want those families from people who breed racehorses. It's been a very long wait but we're very happy to get those two."
Stradivarius carried Nielsen's silks to 20 successes, including seven group 1s and three Gold Cups. The son of Sea The Stars stands at the National Stud in Newmarket, where his opening fee is £10,000 ($12,257).
Reflecting on unprecedented demand over the four days of trading in Deauville, Arqana's president, Eric Hoyeau, and chief executive, Freddy Powell, said in a joint statement: "The sales season is coming to a close on an excellent note after four incredible days. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the vendors who have entrusted us with mares, fillies, and foals of exceptional quality.
"Deauville was particularly cosmopolitan, welcoming buyers from all over Europe but also from the United States, Australia, Japan, India, and Turkey, the result of the inspection work of our bloodstock team and our representatives abroad.
"A big congratulations also to the stud staff and our team in the yards, who gave their best despite the cold and the intense days, throughout this great marathon that is the Vente d'Elevage."
