Friday 9 August 2024
The Arqana August Yearling Sale begins on 16th August, and will feature 22 yearlings by SIYOUNI, 16 by ZARAK and eight by SEA THE STARS. All three stallions have once again been represented by Group 1 winners on the track in 2024.
Leading French sire SIYOUNI has sired the winners of over 30 Group 1 races to date, including the likes of Paddington, St Mark’s Basilica, Sottsass and Laurens, who were all purchased as yearlings. At this sale in 2022 he was responsible for the top-priced lot, a colt now named Shin Emperor, who went on to become a Group winner and dual Group 1 placed in Japan and holds entries in this year’s Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Half of his 2024 August draft of yearlings are out of Stakes winners and/or producers, including a colt out of Group winner and Group 1 placed Lady Frankel and a half-brother to Group 1 winner Aspetar. They also include full sisters to Group 2 performer True Testament and last year’s €2.2 million sales-topping colt, as well as relations to Chicquita, Feed The Flame, Giofra, Left Hand, Lillie Langtry, Lope De Vega, Minding, Passage Of Time, Shamardal, Silasol, Timepiece and Zelzal.
ZARAK is enjoying another excellent season in 2024, adding two new Group 1 winners to his CV including Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan – himself an Arqana yearling graduate. This year’s crop of yearlings are his first conceived at an increased fee of €25,000, and include the first foal out of Group 1 winner Donjah, a colt out of Grade 2 winner Minakshi and a full-brother to Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed Purplepay. Also among them are relations to Dylan Thomas, Goldikova, Grand Glory, Left Hand, Magic Wand, Meditate, Silverwave, Sweet Lady, Temida and VADENI.
As the sire of 22 Group 1 winners including recent Grand Prix de Paris hero Sosie, SEA THE STARS is perennially a source of top-flight performers. At the Arqana August Sale, his representatives include a full sister to Group 2 winner Endless Time, a filly out of Group 1 winner Waikika and a colt out of Group 2 winner Meergorl (who has already produced a Stakes winner by Sea The Moon), as well as relatives of Barathea, Mourayan, Schiaparelli, Sea The Moon and The Fugue.
