It may seem incredible to many of us that a granddaughter of Zarkava could be cataloged as a broodmare prospect, but that time has arrived and for much of the second and concluding session of the Arqana February Mixed Sale Feb. 15, it looked as if the Aga Khan Studs' offering of the Fastnet Rock mare Zerziyna would hold sway at the top of the board at €200,000.
That BBA Ireland eclipsed their own sale-topper when going to €315,000 (US$338,269, €1=US$1.0738) for a daughter of Galileo consigned by Haras de Bouquetot only proved the spending power of their acquisitive client, as the agent and buyer combination effectively cornered the top end of the breeding market in Deauville.
Carrying to Mehmas, Rasmiya is out of the Danehill mare Crystal Valkyrie and has a graded stakes-placed brother in Granddukeoftuscany in Australia, as well as group-winning half siblings in Above Average and Sent From Heaven.
While declining to name his client, Michael Donohoe pointed to their breeding activities in both Europe and Australia, which gives some flexibility to mating plans for Rasmiya (Lot 308), who was covered only on May 28 last year.
"She already has proven stakes performers and is from a very good family and is a very good-looking mare," said Donohoe. "It's a nice cover by Mehmas and I think he is a nice cross with Galileo.
"She'll go back to Ireland to foal down. The client I bought her for has mares in Europe and Australia and, because it's quite a late foaling date, we might cover her on Southern Hemisphere time and then send her to Australia. A choice of stallion is yet to be made."
Donohoe and BBA Ireland colleague Eamonn Reilly were pushed hard by Nicolas de Watrigant to secure Zerziyna (Lot 249). But the pair would not be denied in their quest to find suitable mates for Lucky Vega, who is embarking on his second season standing at the Irish National Stud.
Zerziyna is out of the Dalakhani mare Zerkaza—the 2008 European champion Zarkava's first foal—and is of course a half sister to the rising star of France's stallion ranks in Zarak, as well as the black-type performers Zarkamiya and Zaykava.
Reilly said: "We bought her for a client in Ireland and she will go to Lucky Vega. The client has already bred a very good-looking foal by him and he asked me to buy a mare to send to the stallion. As for the family, you can't get better than Zarkava."
Lucky Vega will also be the first date for Bay of Islands, a Dubawi mare sold by Gestut Ohlerweiherhof and the dam of Bharani Star, winner of the listed Rothesay Stakes and fourth in the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot for Peter Chapple-Hyam and Fairlawns Racing.
Bay of Islands (Lot 190), who fetched €58,000, is a half sister to Saddex, a group 1 winner in Italy, while her second dam Aviance won the Phoenix Stakes (G1) at 2 and produced a pair of group 1 winners in Chimes of Freedom and Denon, as well as being the granddam of a third in Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) hero Spinning World.
Key Indicators Reveal Healthy Market
This year's catalog featured 68 fewer lots than the one 12 months ago, and so Arqana's executive will be quietly satisfied with turnover for the two days, which dipped by only €223,000.
Business totaled €3,806,000 ($4,087,149), with 245 lots changing hands at a near-identical clearance rate of 79% to the one achieved in 2022. The average rose from €13,475 to €15,535 ($16,682), while the median also ticked up from €6,000 to €6,500 ($6,980).
