Arqana summer sale: Sizeable increases mark final session

The second and final day of the Arqana summer sale in France, which consisted of a horses in training section including both flat and steeplechase horses, concluded Thursday with sizeable increases in both gross receipts and average, led by nine six-figure horses.

For Thursday’s final session, Arqana reported total sales of about $4,285,800 (3,322,500 euros), an increase of 43 percent compared with last year’s comparable session of horses in training. The average sale price of about $29,700 (23,024 euros) jumped 22 percent, and the median of $11,600 (9,000 euros) rose 13 percent. Wednesday’s 2-year-old breeze show session posted increases of 23 percent in gross receipts and 18 in average price compared with 2012.

Dell’Arca, a steeplechase performer, took top honors as the highest lot of Thursday’s trade and of the entire sale, selling for about $361,200, or 280,000 euros, to Hubert Barbe and David Pipe.

Thursday’s second-highest price, Baradari, sold out of the Aga Khan’s Studs consignment for $303,150 (235,000 euros) to bloodstock agent Guy Petit. The 3-year-old son of Manduro has placed in two listed flat stakes this year and will be pointed to steeplechase events by new trainer Venetia Williams. He is out of the stakes-placed Grand Lodge mare Behra and is a half-brother to multiple hurdle stakes winner Barizan. His second dam is Group 1 winner Behera.

Dispour, a 3-year-old son of late sire Monsun, sold for $225,750 (175,000 euros) to English bloodstock agent Tom Malone, also out of the Aga Khan’s consignment. The colt, who has won one of four starts to date, is out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Daltaya, a half-sister to European Horses of the Year and sires Daylami and Dalakhani, Group 3 winner Dalghar, and stakes winner Daymarti.

Arqana’s next sale is its elite yearling auction, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at Deauville Racecourse.

For complete sale results, click here.