After the fireworks of the three sessions of the Arqana August Yearling Sale, trade at the Aug. 19 V2 session was a more low-key affair, with a colt by Chachnak topping proceedings when bought by Paul Nataf for €265,000 (US$310,0550, €1=US$1.17).
Nataf made amends for missing out on the second-top lot and rated the sale topper the best horse in the catalog.
"I went around and inspected all the horses, and he was the one I rated highest. The highest-rated horse deserves the highest bid," he told Jour de Galop.
"To buy a colt like this, everything has to be right. Above all, he had the conformation. He wasn't just a beautiful horse, but a good horse. The colt will stay in France."
Offered by Arcadia Elevage, the colt is out of Briante, an unraced daughter of Turtle Bowl who has produced six winners. Briante is out of German listed winner Banyu Dewi, making her a half sister to French group 2 scorer Brigantin.
Chachnak, a group 3-winning son of Kingman and group 2 winner Tamazirte, was a smart performer on the track, landing the 2020 Prix de Guiche (G3) and Prix du Prince d'Orange (G3).
Despite covering relatively small books in his early seasons, his first crops have already produced encouraging performers on the flat and over jumps.
Sioux Nation Filly to Clement
Nataf was the underbidder on a filly by Sioux Nation, with United States-based trainer Miguel Clement and agents Louis Dubois and Erwan de Chambord securing her for €250,000.
Having tried and failed to get in on the action earlier at Arqana, Dubois and De Chambord were pleased to secure the filly, who was presented by Haras de l'Hotellerie.
"We tried to buy at the main sale for the same project, but without success," the pair said in a joint statement. "We looked at all the horses in this sale together, and this filly really stood out.
"She will go to the United States to Miguel Clement for our respective clients. She is a super filly and a very good walker. We think she will improve physically with time as she is not completely finished yet. The dam has black type, by Wootton Bassett, and the 2-year-old is highly regarded.
"Overall, it has been a good sale for us because we have also sold some yearlings that we pinhooked as foals."
The filly is the second foal out of Wootton Diva, a listed-placed daughter of Wootton Bassett from the family of stakes winner Scottish Diva.
After record-breaking results at the Premier Session, V2 also recorded increases in nearly every key metric.
At the close of trade, Arqana reported that 131 yearlings sold at a clearance rate of 86%. The aggregate reached €4,522,500 (US$5,291,325), a 19% increase year-on-year, while the average rose by 23% to €34,523 (US$40,392). The median remained unchanged at €25,000 (US$29,250).
