Arqana Deauville August

Eek, top end of the market seems to have taken a bit of a hit at Deau, no big sheikh expenditure or Ogden. Even some of the nice bred Galileos were not making blockbuster prices.

Buyers don't seem to be taking Duke of Marmelade to the bosom, three 'not solds' at e50,000 or less and one sold at e15,000 not good news off a 40,000 advertised first year fee.

Still early days yet and i expect we will have to wait till tatts for the fireworks.

not very pretty in places for sure.

It does come off the back of a bad year at Arqana last time round so it will be interesting to see what the general consensus is as to the quality of horse that ended up there this year.

I was having a good peer at the videos on the website last night and I must say there looked to be some less than beautiful types. Some Monsuns and Dalakhanis made good money which suggests to me that if a non mega-commercial sire can do it then the hot sires didn't have the ammunition on the ground perhaps.

Perhaps someone will report in.

But, horrible looking though she undoubtedly was, 45k for Galileo x Monevassia. was she without ovaries? !

potm,

I have been looking at some of the videos for those due to go through the ring in an attempt to improve my lamentable paddock watching skills.

I have been looking at two Galileo's in particular. Firstly, Lot 118, out of Piquentol. I thought this colt had a lot of scope, plenty of opportunity to bulk up, whilst having a good balanced athletic walk.

I then looked at Lot 133, out of Royal Highness. A breeding in theory superior to the Piquentol? I thought this colt looked very bulky, almost "sprinterish" in looks with an inferior walk to the Piquentol, and less scope.

Please tell me exactly where observations are wrong, knowing where you are wrong is the only way to learn.

I've looked at a few - mixed bag of 'fit' Doncasteresque and more traditional Tatts horses.  Probably a prob with this sale is a lack of identity.  Three comments re. those Galileos.  Distorts the proportions having ronnie corbett walking first - it looks a bit weak to me, nice walk though. Breeding wise I'd say first is superior but dam has clearly disappointed (and is very old) & chestnut I prefer shape (more shoulder, better behind and I'd hazard better bone) but be very concerned it'll be a boat.

Vids arent very good - if you want to see it done properly keep eye on taylormadeadvantage.com

Equimine I am not the greatest judge I'm afraid and I would imagine that there are many better on here including yer ma.

I have had a quick peep at your 2 lots and I would say that the Niarchos page (Piquetnol) is much more commercially desirable. I prefer that colt too and indeed all you say about him being ripe for improvement could be true. However I am not sure the market will take that view, as being the product of an older mare he could just be an unfurnished type due to that fact. I would be extremely wary of that.

The colt out of Royal Highness to me is a bit coarse through the shoulder and looks to lack a bit of Galileo class. It is a stayers late maturing family and although he could make a good race horse in time, I would be amazed if it was with the aptitude of a potential stallion. That is what the Galileo buyers will look for.

P.s. Hats off to us three for sticking our heads up before sale time !

It is Ramadan so hence why not much Arab money. The other year when Keeneland fell in line their purchase their were way down.

Shouldve been a bloodstock agent (not enough brass neck probably).  118 a respectable 200k, my fav 500k.  Bought to win the melbourne cup by the looks of buyer...Waratah Thoroughbreds.  Gd luck to them.

1.7 Million for a Galileo Filly
600k for a Montjeu Filly

Still can't believe people would pay that money for a montjeu filly

Demi O Byrne spent 400k on a Manduro.

Well done Yer ma

I stand by my opinion though that the cheapie is the only one likely to have commercial appeal should they make it!

Mind you I'm obviously wrong as Michael Goodbody acting for the purchasers says that 133 has a 'stallions pedigree'. It must be Ardross that's lighting his sire fire

New Approachs are selling well....strong returns

potentialmillionaire     23 Aug 11 09:07 


But, horrible looking though she undoubtedly was, 45k for Galileo x Monevassia. was she without ovaries? !

Everything in this is a gamble and this could turn out to be 45k well spent, her unraced half sister by Storm Cat sold at Keeneland for 900k in November. Galileo out of a daughter of the great Miesque and a daughter that has produced aswell wish I had 45k :( .

Just to add I know you cant use the 900k as a true example because Storm Cat has the aurora of been a legendary broodmare sire but Im sure Galileo wont be a dud in that area either and he has got the ball rolling when La Collina won two weeks back

Funny how we take an agents/trainer's evaluation of a horse's worth as gospel yet none of them saw fit/hung around long enough last year to pay more than e30,000 for Dabirsim

Only 2 out of 6 Henrythenavigators sold for e20,000 and e45,000, another worry having started off covering at $65,000

P P. Agents and trainers have their own agenda at the sales and it's not necessarily about finding value for their clients!

They are herd animals, not always willing to stick out from the crowd and the lure of the bar and the backhander is ever present for some of them.

As a breed, taking them as gospel is not for me. Trying to work out what the shady ones want is not for me also. I am aiming to snare the wise ones but acknowledge that when fashion AND fact collide, that's where the money is.

Acclamation yearlings selling well 

wouldnt mind if i had a few of these for sale in later sales - 6 sold (100%) for average of 110k euro

very impressive as nearly twice last years average so should be positive sign for future sales this autumn.

Why no arab money???yet they paid fortunes in Kentucky a few weeks back???

they own the sale company in kentucky ruby have to support the sale

That makes sense but still...why no purchases. I am surprised especially since their was plenty of darley's new sires in action

also doesn't this sale regularly clash with Ramadan causing a reduction in the spending by the Maktoum's

Yes pm I agree, I don't mean to be on a downer with agents but it also seems that some who play solely in the very top echelons of the market are on to a bit of a win-win situation. They can buy horses by in vogue sires with flashy pedigrees in so called 'select' sales and if they turn out to be duds they can point at the trainer or write it down to bad luck. Of course they shouldn't be able to get away with that for long. I can think of one new-ish owner who arrived on the sales scene with a huge bang at one point in the last five years, bought thru an agent a much-publicised enormous-priced yearling and neither the horse or owner have been sighted much since !

I would have respect for some who unearth pearls at the bottom of the market and I am surprised more people don't try the Fretwell approach of buying cheaply, getting good races into them as a 2-y-o and selling them on for huge profits. Maybe others are trying but failing

Yes PP it would be interesting to know exactly who is playing that game. Jamie Osborne springs to mind but he struggles with consistency for sure.

There is such value out there if you don't give a monkeys about fashion - and fashion doesn't look nearly so important when you've got a nice 2yo and the foreign agents are knocking the door down.

Lot of skill required though as with everything in this game!

(Don't seem to have been much blessed in that department myself )

the econ uncertainty could be playing a big factor in the camps of the big 2. American will or wont double dip in september so the tradition goffs and tatts sales will be the true indication of the 1st season sires etc

That €600k for a Montjeu filly doesn't look so silly now Rubyisgodinthesaddle, Chicquita (Montjeu ex Prudenzia) ran 2nd in the Gr. 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) on only her third start.