A quartet of high-class racing prospects, two of them with stallion potential, starred at Arqana's sale on the eve of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), the most glittering and consequential of weekends for French racing.
Fresh from his victory in the Oct. 5 Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) at Longchamp, Ramadan shone brightest at Saint-Cloud bringing €1.5 million (US$1,647,300, €1=US$1.10) from Lion Rock Bloodstock.
He was closely followed by this season's Deutsches Derby (G1) winner Palladium, who was knocked down to Highflyer Bloodstock for €1.4 million, while the Aga Khan's regally bred Frankel gelding Zarir made €1.3 million to Paulins Racing.
The penultimate horse in the ring, listed winner Trafalgar Square, was the final horse to make a seven-figure sum when attracting a winning bid of €1.15 million.
Nurlan Bizakov's homebred Le Havre colt Ramadan was the most expensive horse sold Saturday night, with the son of Le Havre attracting bids from around the elegantly roped ring, but it was Lion Rock who prevailed.
Trained by Christopher Head, Ramadan came into the sale buoyed by the biggest win of his career in the group 2 contest at Longchamp. His previous best result had been two group 3 successes; Deauville's Prix Daphnis (G3) and the Prix de Fontainebleau (G3) at Longchamp.
He was fourth in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (G1) last season, and on his only other start in group 1 company, Ramadan was fifth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1).
Should he gain a top-level success, the son of the late Le Havre has the pedigree to earn himself a berth at stud.
A half brother to 2018 Fleur De Lys Stakes winner and Hoppings Stakes (G3) second Rasima, he is out of Raushan.
She is a winning Dalakhani full sister to Chinese White, victorious in the 2010 Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) for the late Lady O'Reilly. Their dam, 2000 Blandford Stakes winner (G3) Chiang Mai, is a Sadler's Wells half sister to the brilliant Rafha, 1990 Prix de Diane (G1) winner and dam of Invincible Spirit and Kodiac. It is also the family of group 1 winners and sires Mishriff, who stands at Sumbe, and Pride Of Dubai.
Deutsches Derby winner Palladium became the most expensive son of Gleneagles to sell at public auction when bringing the hammer down at €1.4 million during the Arqana Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud.
The 3-year-old colt was offered by German syndicate Liberty Racing through OH Consignment, and Highflyer Bloodstock signed for the half brother to listed winner Panjari.
Palladium was bred by Gestut Fahrhof, who sold the son of listed winner and 2013 Premio Lydia Tesio (G1) runner-up Path Wind for €80,000 to Baumgarten at the 2022 BBAG September Yearling Sale.
Trained by Henk Grewe, Palladium was placed in both of his starts at 2 and this year won his maiden at Dusseldorf and was fourth in the Union-Rennen (G2) prior to his narrow Derby success.
Zarir, the Prix Ganay (G1) and Prix Foy (G2) runner-up from the family of the outstanding Zarkava, was bought by Paulins Racing.
Vin Cox, who took up the role as general manager of Yulong Investments in Nagambie Victoria last December, spoke to Arqana following the sale.
"We will bring him back to Australia and we feel he is a very strong staying prospect and will suit our staying program. It is brilliant to get a horse of that quality from the Aga Khan Studs and we are very happy to have him. We're looking forward to campaigning him in Australia."
The 4-year-old gelding was sold with an entry in next month's Bahrain International Trophy (G2), which it seems he is unlikely to take up, but his pedigree could feature another Arc weekend group 1 winner by Sunday lunchtime.
Unbeaten Siyouni filly Zarigana, who is out of Zarkamiya, the listed winner and group 1-placed daughter of Zarkava, is the odds-on favorite to emulate her legendary grandmother and win the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1).
Zarir shares his sire Frankel with Zarkamiya and his dam, the 2014 Prix Minerve (G3) winner Zarshana, is a Sea The Stars half sister to Zarkava.
In addition to her unbeaten racing career, Zarkava, who was recently retired from broodmare duties by the Aga Khan Studs, excelled in that sphere. She is the dam of group 1 winner Zarak with the son of Dubawi established as one of the best young sires in France.
While those three could have been expected to sell well, the seven-figure price tag of Trafalgar Square, who had finished second to Illinois in the Prix Chaudenay (G2) earlier in the day, was a little more left-field.
A 3-year-old gelding by Kendargent, he won the listed Prix de l'Avre earlier in the year for trainer Patrice Cottier and was bought by Omar Ismail Sh Ghrghar who was active at the earlier Arab Sale during which he bought horses to race in Dubai and Libya. The owner has horses in training in France with Gianluca Bietolini and Carlos and Yann Lerner.
Sold for €1.15 million with an entry in the Prix Royal-Oak, he is a half brother to listed winner Times Square, a daughter of Zarak who was placed in the 2021 Prix Marcel Boussac and 2022 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1).
Their 3-year-old Shalaa half sister, Times Boulevard, was third in the 2022 Prix Thomas Bryon (G3).
Out of the unraced Siyouni mare See You Always, they are from the family of 2018 Irish Derby (G1) winner and sire Latrobe, and Newspaperofrecord, the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner who is the dam of Saturday's Curragh maiden winner Giselle.
The clearance rate for Saturday evening's auction declined dramatically on last year, with just 62.5% of the lots offered finding a buyer in contrast with 76% last year.
However, even with fewer horses sold, the other key metrics all recorded increases with turnover improving by 5.8% year-on-year to €10.38 million (US$11,399,316).
The average leaped by a whopping 35.4% from €306,594 in 2023 to €415,200 (US$336,702) with the median of €280,000 (US$307,496)coming in 14% higher than last year.
