A 2% share in the Aga Khan Studs' leading young sire Zarak topped the Arqana Online December Sale when selling for €740,000 (approx. US$869,411, €1=US$1.17) to an anonymous buyer based in Britain at the close of the auction Dec. 16.
The Haras de Bonneval resident, who will stand his second successive covering season at a fee of €80,000 in 2026, has supplied top-level winners Metropolitan, Zagrey, and Haya Zark, all of those conceived at fees of €12,000.
Stateside, his daughter Laurelin has won four black-type stakes, including the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T) and placed second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) for owner Newstead Stables and trainer Graham Motion.
Zarak, a son of Dubawi and unbeaten champion Zarkava, is responsible for 22 individual group or graded winners from 34 stakes scorers.
His yearlings this year sold for up to €1.1 million, that one being Ecurie des Monceaux's filly out of Prudente, who sold to One Agency at the Arqana August Yearling Sale.
Zarak, a top-level winner himself when landing the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) in 2017 for Alain de Royer-Dupre, is a half-brother to stakes winner and Prix Vermeille (G1) third Zarkamiya, the dam of this year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) heroine Zarigana. Another half-sibling, the Dalakhani mare Zerkaza, is the second dam of 2025 National (G1), Vintage (G2), and July (G2) stakes winner Zavateri.
Hamish Macauley went to €160,000 to buy a breeding right to Mehmas, the sire of nine top-level winners, including 2025 Middle Park Stakes (G1) scorer Wise Approach and Al Quoz Sprint (G1) winner Believing. The Tally-Ho Stud resident will stand once again for €70,000 in 2026.
A breeding right to Darley's exciting young sire Palace Pier sold to Elwick Stud for €90,000. The world-champion miler by Kingman can count Lowther Stakes (G2) winner Royal Fixation and fellow group scorers Dr Omran and A Bit Of Spirit among his leading first-crop performers this year.
Palace Pier, who is also responsible for listed winner and narrow Vintage Stakes runner-up Morris Dancer, will stand the 2026 season for an unchanged fee of £32,000 at Dalham Hall Stud.
Offering 20 stallion shares and breeding rights, the sale concluded Arqana's 2025 season. In all, 14 out of the 20 lots sold, equating to a 70% clearance rate, for a total of €1,287,000 (approx. US$1,512,071).
