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Aquarelle Bleue tops Arqana; has date with Sea the Stars All focus is on the book of Sea the Stars at present, and that factor dominated Saturday's opening session of Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale as the Tsui family stepped in for a pair of choicely bred mares for their champion. Heading Ling Tsui's shopping list, and the day's trading overall, was AQUARELLE BLEUE (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Nearing the halfway point of the opening session, all eyes were fixed on Hip No. 101 from the draft of Haras du Mezeray. Bred by Ecurie Wildenstein, the five-year-old is a daughter of that operation's outstanding Aquarelliste (Danehill). One of the best to carry the family's royal blue colors, Aquarelliste captured the 2001 Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) and Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), and was second in that year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) before returning to add the following season's Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) to her tally. Aquarelle Bleue had been offered at this venue last year while in foal to Mr. Greeley, but RNA'd at €500,000. Bred back to Cape Cross (Ire) after delivering a colt by Mr. Greeley, she prompted a bidding battle before Mandore International Agency held sway at €520,000. Nicolas de Watrigant heads Mandore, and he earlier paid €140,000 for Derryluskin Stud's Hip 92, the five-year-old ALIZAYA (Highest Honor [Fr]), who is a half-sister to this year's Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) and Prix du Cadran (Fr-G1) hero Alandi (Galileo [Ire]). She is in foal to Oratorio (Ire). "I bought these two mares for Mrs. Tsui and both will have a honeymoon night with Sea the Stars," de Watrigant explained. "We are delighted to have the daughter of Sadler's Wells and Aquarelliste, as Mrs. Tsui was very keen to have that blood to breed to him. They are both extremely good-looking mares and both with a top-class pedigree." Arqana kept the crowds enthralled until the close of play, with the 10-year-old ex-sprinting luminary PORLEZZA (Sicyos) the last to pass through the ring. Consigned by Haras d'Ellon, the 2003 Prix Maurice de Gheest (Fr-G1) heroine who also registered back-to-back wins in the Prix du Gros-Chene (Fr-G2) is in foal to the now-deceased Anabaa. She was knocked down to Marc-Antoine Berghgracht's MAB Agency for €320,000. "She has been bought for an undisclosed client, and is a gorgeous-looking mare who is young and in foal to a top sire, who unfortunately died this year," Berghgracht explained. "We have not as yet decided what to do with her -- whether she will stay in France or go abroad." Blue Sky Bloodstock was responsible for the purchase of the jewel of the Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard consignment for €300,000. Hip 174, the three-year-old TOWARDS (Fusaichi Pegasus), is a daughter of 1990 Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) runner-up Imperfect Circle (Riverman), who later extended her importance as the dam of Spinning World (Nureyev). Her page is replete with some of the Niarchos operation's classiest performers in recent years, including Denon (Pleasant Colony) and Chimes of Freedom (Private Account) as well as the latter's champion son Aldebaran (Mr. Prospector). "I signed the ticket, but in fact just helped Bill Dwan buy the filly for an undisclosed client of the Castlebridge Consignment who is a breeder," Blue Sky's Freddy Powell said. "He loved the pedigree and wanted to get into that family, and that was a rare opportunity. The filly will be sent to the breeding shed soon." On a day when Australasian interests were at the forefront, Arqana's correspondent in that sphere Damon Gabbedy was snapping up a pair of bluebloods on behalf of Belmont Bloodstock. After paying €200,000 for Haras de Grandcamp's Hip 36, the three-year-old DOWINGA (Hawk Wing) who is a half-sister to Dehere (Deputy Minister), they also purchased last year's Flying Childers S. (Eng-G2) winner MADAME TROP VITE (Invincible Spirit). Consigned as Hip 155 by her owner Bansha House Stables, she was knocked down to the agent for €190,000. "This sale is a good opportunity to buy nice mares," Gabbedy said. "I bought these two for two different Australian clients, and they will be sent there to be bred. The gray filly Madame Trop Vite is by an obviously very good sire, and she was a Group 2 winner and listed winner herself. So, she has all credentials to be a good broodmare, and she should be easy to cross." Arqana allowed wildcard entries, and it was one of those who featured from Haras du Logis. The six-year-old MRS SNOW (Singspiel [Ire]), placed at the Group 3 level, is a half to this year's Oaks d'Italia (Ity-G1) runner-up Wadaat (Diktat). Her dam is a half to the high-class Walzerkoenigin (Kingmambo), who produced this year's multiple Group 1 winner Wiener Walzer (Dynaformer), and Mrs Snow was offered in foal to New Approach. The Shadai Corporation was the name on the docket after €200,000 secured her. "This mare has been bought by Shiraoi Farm, a partnership of Japanese Breeders in which Teruya Yoshida and his brother Katsumi are majority share holders," agent Patrick Barbe said. "The mare will go to Japan and has been bought because of her pedigree, but the key factor is that she is in foal to a champion, New Approach, who could turn out to be a top sire." Two notables who did not meet their reserve were Haras des Capucines' Hip 224, this year's Preis der Diana (Ger-G1) winner NIGHT MAGIC (Sholokhov) who failed to make more than €800,000; and Mezeray's Hip 177, the three-year-old daughter of Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), ISLA CANELA (Gone West), who was led out unsold at €500,000. Those failures could hardly impact on a highly successful session, at the end of which the average of €51,442 and median of €30,000 blew the 2008 equivalent out of the water, with staggering increases of 35 percent and 87 percent, respectively. Selling continues Sunday, and full results can be found on www.arqana.com.
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