Tuesday 16 August 2022
At the conclusion of the three-day Arqana August Yearling Sale, SIYOUNI was the star, responsible for the sale’s top lot as well as another of the top four. Both were bred and consigned by leading vendor Ecurie des Monceaux.
Lot 154, the flashy full brother to Sottsass, sold for €2.1 million to Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi, while lot 216, a filly out of Stakes winning mare Aviatress, was sold for €1.4 million to her co-breeders LNJ Foxwoods.
In total, 17 SIYOUNI yearlings sold for an average of €462,941.
There was also success for SIYOUNI on the racecourse in Deauville over the weekend, with Wally successful in the Gr.3 Prix Gontaut-Biron, a race he also won in 2021, and the exciting Al Hakeem victorious in the Gr.2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, with the Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe now firmly on the agenda.
SEA THE STARS, who has been enjoying such a successful season on the track, also featured among the top 10 lots. He had 10 yearlings sell for an average of €320,500, led by lot 133, a colt out of Listed winner Shamtee consigned by Haras du Mont dit Mont, who sold for €675,000 to Chauvigny Global Equine.
On Monday, two SEA THE STARS yearlings from La Motteraye followed each other into the ring, and brought €400,000 and €410,000 respectively. The first, lot 234, was a filly out of Gr.1 Prix de Diane winner Channel. She was purchased by Gerard Larrieu on behalf of Jean-Louis Bouchard. Lot 237, a colt out of Listed winner Childa, was purchased by Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock on behalf of Bon Ho, who also owns recent Group 3 winning SEA THE STARS three-year-old Deauville Legend.
McStay commented: “I thought the colt was very athletic. He had great presence and, while he's not an overly big horse, he has huge movement. I am a big fan of SEA THE STARS and he has a fantastic pedigree - the mare has already done it before.”
Leading second crop sire ZARAK had seven yearlings sell for an average of eight times his 2020 fee, with a top price of €200,000 coming for lot 175, a filly out of Stakes performer Varsity consigned by Haras du Cadran. The filly, a close relation to ZARAK’s Classic-placed daughter La Parisienne, was purchased by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda and Ted Durcan on behalf of Oliver Harris.
