Slickly half-sister to Dabirsim stars at Arqana finale

Arqana's August Yearling Sale came to a close Thursday when a solid second

half of the "Select Session 2" completed the auction's recovery from a shaky

start to proceedings on Monday. The latest renewal of this prestigious affair

ended with a cumulative average of €95,924

which edged ahead of last year's figure of €94,500

by 1.5 percent, with the median of €65,000

down by only 7 percent.

"In the current environment, and with the major investments we undertook --

both through the new sales pavilion and to attract new buyers -- the result of

this four-day sale is highly satisfactory," Arqana's President Eric Hoyeau said.

"The increase in the number of horses sold is very significant and reflects a

strong, healthy market.

"The great diversity of buyers, both from France and abroad, is a positive

sign of the French racing system's performance and international appeal.

Finally, the new sales complex received the thumbs up from all involved and

allowed for a warm, welcoming atmosphere as well as optimum comfort, even though

a bit of fine-tuning still needs to be done."

Topping the final day's proceedings was Hip No. 392, the half-sister to

Sunday's unbeaten Prix Morny (Fr-G1) hero Dabirsim (Hat Trick [Jpn]), who was

sold to Patricia Boutin's Suprina Bloodstock for €240,000.

The February 28 foal is by Slickly (Fr).

Consigned by Haras de Grandcamp, the filly commanded plenty of interest given

her half-brother's victory in the Prix Morny. At this venue last year, Dabirsim

sold for a mere €30,000. Also kin to the

stakes-placed Preferred Yield (High Yield), Thursday's session topper will race

in the colors of France Galop's President Edouard de Rothschild.

"The horse will be trained by Andre Fabre," Boutin revealed. "Andre and his

wife Elisabeth had a close look at her beforehand and backed up my choice to

Edouard, so it was an easy decision to make. The page has received a serious

boost with Dabirsim winning so nicely on Sunday and Edouard loves Slickly, who

is the sire of his Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) winner Meandre.

"Personally, I feel that the catalog was very good and there were a lot of

good-looking horses. All the team at Arqana have worked very hard to put up a

good sale and deserve their rewards."

Haras de Grandcamp's Eric Lhermite added, "We are delighted with the sale,

and the breeder Michel Montfort is over the moon. She is a good-looking filly

and we wish them all the luck. Overall, we have been very happy with the

consignment and some have made more than we expected and some less, but that is

the name of the game."

Suprina also paid €105,000 for Haras des

Capucines' Hip 417, a Zamindar half-sister to 2003 Prix Noailles (Fr-G2) winner

and Prix Lupin (Fr-G1) and Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) runner-up Super Celebre (Peintre

Celebre), who now stands at Haras du Camp Bernard.

Blandford Bloodstock, which paid €240,000

for a daughter of Raven's Pass on Monday on behalf of Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa

al Nahyan, added another to that owner's roster Thursday. Hip 385 is a Holy

Roman Emperor son of the smart ex-Aga Khan racemare Rosamixa (Linamix), a full

sister to this year's Prix du Muguet (Fr-G2) winner and Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-G1)

third Rajsaman from the family of the 2009 Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-G1) heroine

Rosanara (Sinndar). Rosamixa's first foal is Pearl Mix (Oratorio [Ire]), a

€120,000 graduate of this auction last year

and fourth in last month's Superlative S. (Eng-G2) at Newmarket.

Again, it was Haras de Grandcamp celebrating a high-profile sale after the

March foal fetched €155,000.

"He is a very good-looking colt, and Sheikh Sultan now owns the dam, so (he)

wants to upgrade the family and make sure everything goes well," Blandford's

Richard Brown said. "That's why we were keen to have him."

Japan's Big Red Farm later paid €100,000

for Haras du Quesnay's Hip 444, an April-foaled son of Gold Away (Ire) out of a

half to 2003 Prix des Reservoirs (Fr-G3) and 2005 Azeri S. (G3) runner-up Colony

Band (Dixieland Band), while Nicolas Clement snapped up one of the last Anabaas

from the draft of Haras de Colleville. Hip 363, already named STYLE VENDOME, is

a son of the listed-placed Place Vendome (Fr) (Dr Fong) and was knocked down to

the trainer for €92,000.

"He has been bought for a French client who lives in Argentina and is a very

nice colt," Clement commented. "He seems very precocious, and the dam was a good

horse with a lot of speed. He is from the last crop of Anabaa and has everything

that it takes to make a good horse, so I'm very happy."

Clement also signed for Haras du Cadran's Hip 453, a son of Verglas (Ire) out

of the stakes-placed Afra Tsitsi (Belong To Me) after a final bid of

€80,000. Anabaa's last hurrah was completed

by the sale of Colleville's Hip 394, a colt named SHANABA out of the

listed-winning Sabasha (Xaar) who sold to Alain Decrion for

€75,000.

After Market had a sole representative in the catalog, and the Lane's End

resident made a splash when his March-foaled colt was sold to Sylvain Vidal for

€85,000. From the Coulonces Consignment, Hip

382 is out of a half-sister to 2003 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) runner-up

Simplex (Rainbow Quest).

"He is a grand-looking colt and very much a Storm Cat," Vidal's assistant

Mathieu Alex offered. "He comes from a good family and walked very well."

Speightstown continues to be popular in Europe, and the sire of this year's

Norfolk S. (Eng-G2) winner Bapak Chinta had only two in the book. Bertrand le

Metayer was the successful bidder at €75,000

for Hip 355, a son of the listed-placed October Winds (Irish River [Fr]) from

the extended family of the sire Nepal, who was offered by Haras des Capucines.

Full results are available on

www.arqana.com.