Aussie buyers stay busy at Arqana

Aussie buyers maintain presence

After playing a major role in terms of volume on the opening day of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, Australian buyers maintained a strong influence on Day 2, with a trio of purchases.

Emmaroo Bloodstock, run by John and Cath Murray, and a notable client of Coolmore Australia, stepped up with a successful bid of €105,000 (AU$169,000) for the regally bred Dayita (Fr) (Dansil {GB}).

Offerings for the Aga Khan's best families are always keenly sought after at these types of sales and the acquisition of Dayita, an older mare which has produced four winners, may prove a canny investment.

A two-time winner herself, she carries some rich bloodlines, being a half-sister to Group 1 winners and successful sires Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire) as well as Group 2 winner Dalghar (Fr).

The 'D' family of the Aga Khan also includes Doulmera (USA) (Mr Greeley {USA}), the dam of Australian stakes winners Emeralds (Sebring) and Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel).

Dayita carries a pregnancy to emerging sire Almanzor (Fr), who shuttles from Haras d'Etreham to Cambridge Stud, and whose first Southern Hemisphere progeny have been very well-received by the market.

Patience pays off for Mills

Bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills has been trying his best to land some quality Northern Hemisphere mares in the past couple of months and was finally rewarded for his persistence when securing the stakes-placed Red Hot (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from the stables of Gavin Hernon for €72,000 (AU$116,000).

A winner in France and Great Britain and placed in a Listed race in Germany, the 5-year-old will remain in training in Australia and be set for a Queensland winter campaign, most likely with Tony Gollan.

"I'm a big Siyouni fan, and there are a few stallions up there, Frankel, Siyouni and Dansili as well Kingman, who is the emerging one, who are all proving themselves down here," he said.

"A Siyouni mare was high on the list. She snuck through to Day 2 when the heat came out of the market. She's stakes performed, which was the attraction. I love the physical nature of what Siyouni leaves.

"Probably because of her age, she became a bit more viable, in terms of price, they do tend to like these young horses."

Red Hot is expected to arrive in Australia in early February and head to Queensland with a view to a racetrack return in May, and stakes races through the Brisbane winter.

"She can have a much milder climate to race through that Queensland winter," Mills said.

Longer-term, Mills said there is a host of suitable stallion matches for the mare, with a leaning towards one of the young Redoute's Choice-line stallions. Kia Ora's Farnan was mentioned as one suitable match.

Her family is highlighted by her third dam, the Group 1-placed and Group 1-producing mare Most Precious (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), who also features as the grandam of G1 Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock).

Mills said it was nice to finally get a deal across the line having spent much of the past six weeks trying to acquire an internationally bred mare.

"I had tried all day yesterday and I had tried all through Tattersalls, and through Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland, so I have had a very busy, but a very unsuccessful international sales series to date," he said.

"I have been pretty strong on some horses this year, even more so than previous years, but still couldn't justify the prices."

Foote and Lillingston Bloodstock line up

John Foote has featured regularly on the buying sheet in the Northern Hemisphere sales season and the experienced agent was able to come together with Lillingston Bloodstock to pay €20,000 (AU$32,000) for Line Judge (GB) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

The 4-year-old has been placed seven times in her career across France and Ireland and was offered by her trainer Mario Baratti.

She is a half-sister to G3 Glorious S. winner and G1 Grand Prix von Baden placegetter Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and a granddaughter of Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter Karen's Caper (USA) (War Chant {USA}).

Sisila in demand

Wertheimer et Frere sell exclusively in Deauville each December and it was a mare from that consignment that supplied the joint-highest price during Monday's second session of the Sale, with Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock going to €180,000 (AU$289,000) for Sisila (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 406) in foal to first-crop covering sire Shaman (Ire), who was raced by Wertheimer et Frere to victories in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt and G3 Prix La Force before retiring to Yeomanstown Stud.

The 6-year-old Sisila was unraced due to injury, but she boasts plenty of residual value being the first foal out of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Prix Saint Alary winner Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).

Her second dam is Stormina (USA) (Gultch {USA}), a multiple Listed winner in France and the U.S., while she descends from the G3 Prix Cleopatre victress Brooklyn's Dance (Fr) (Shirley Heights {GB}), the dam of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and Group winners Prospect Wells (Fr) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) and Prospect Park (GB) (Sadler's Wells {USA}). Sisila has three foals on the ground, her first being the winning 2-year-old Sitello (Fr) (Intello {Ger}).

The top price was matched late in the session by a colt foal by New Bay (GB) (Lot 495) from Haras du Hoguenet who was purchased by Nick Bell of Haras de Meautry on behalf of Baron Edouard de Rothschild.

The half-brother to G2 Oppenheim-Union-Rennen winner Boscaccio (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}) from the extended family of the dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victress Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) will eventually join trainer André Fabre.