SATURDAY, 29 MAY 2021 RECORD TRADE AT ARQANA'S IRISH DERBY MEETING FIRST TO WELCOME RACEGOERS PANDEMIC-PROOF BREEZE The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby meeting on June 26 is expected to be the first racing fixture in the country to welcome up to 1,000 fans, the Taoiseach Micheal Martin confirmed Friday evening. Horse owners are expected to be allowed on course beginning June 7. The Irish Field was first to report the news. "We expect to be in a position to welcome owners back on track with effect from June 7,@ HRI Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh told the publication. AThis would be a brilliant outcome as owners have been incredibly patient during the last 12 months, keeping the industry going and continuing to support racing despite not being able to attend in person.@ The Irish Field reported that HRI has submitted proposals to the government laying out how owners, sponsors and a limited number of racegoers might be accommodated. The Irish Field said that it had been confirmed that horse racing will be part of the government's trials for the return of crowds to sporting Lot 90, a son of Medaglia d=Oro topped the sale | Steve Davies events. Irish Field reports that no indoor facilities will be accessible to owners or fans. By Emma Berry AInitially, everything will be outdoors. But as indoor dining DONCASTER, UK--It takes more than mere pandemic-induced returns more generally then hopefully those type of options will travel restrictions to blunt the ardour of the bloodstock industry. become available,@ Kavanagh told the paper. Cont. p7 A new record for turnover and median set the tone for a robust day of trade in Doncaster and, just as would be expected in normal times, the buyers' list at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale IN TDN AMERICA TODAY represented many nations, with plenty of help from the Middle THIS SIDE UP: MOURNING TWO EXCEPTIONS, East. LAMENTING THE RULE The familiar duo of Anthony Stroud and David Loder leaned Chris McGrath opines on former region sires who died last nonchalantly on the parade ring rail to make their play for the week–Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy) and Laoban (Uncle Mo). Click or Medaglia d'Oro colt who would become the top lot of the day, tap here to go straight to TDN America. bidding against an unseen rival from inside the ring. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 29 MAY 2021 The sale being put back a few weeks has only helped him because he's still immature. He's a beautiful horse who will only improve with time." Bastard added, "I don't got excited, I'm realistic, but it's turning out to be a good sale. But the horses have to go on and win for the owners." ARQANA MAY BREEZE-UP SALE SESSION TOTALS 2021 Strong Trade In Whichever Currency $ Catalogued 164 As the sale was held in England, trade was conducted in $ Number Offered 123 sterling, but the figures have already been converted to euros $ Number Sold 109 $ Not Sold 14 on the Arqana website which shows, incredibly, that in the midst $ Clearance Rate 88.6% of a lengthy world health crisis Arqana has set new records for $ No. ,300k+ 9 both aggregate (i15,219,820/,13,052,500) and median $ High Price ,675,000 (i98,600/,85,000). The clearance rate settled at 88.6% for 109 $ Gross ,13,052,500 $ Average (% change) ,119,748 horses sold from 123 offered at an average price of $ Median (% change) ,85,000 i139,631/,119,748. Reflecting on the day's action, Arqana's executive director Freddy Powell said, "It shows that the catalogue was so strong, Arqana Breeze-Up Sale Cont. from p1 that it has been appreciated worldwide. We've had people Farther away still but connected via telephone, bidding from all over." Singapore-based new player Kuldeep Singh gave his instructions He continued, "All things considered we have to be satisfied. to Arqana's Freddy Powell and is now the proud owner of a It's difficult to compare the figures to last year when we had far Kingman (GB) half-brother to a Classic winner. Other buyers fewer horses, but the figures will be very similar to 2019 and unable to attend placed their bids online. 2018, when we had an aggregate of around i15 million. The These diverse options which were hastened into existence by median is close to i100,000 which is incredible from that the blight of coronavirus have changed the traditional vibe of number of horses. I think it shows the depth of the catalogue. the bloodstock auction, with some of the buzz created by the The vendors have been amazing to adapt again--we had to intense exchange of bids from one side of the auditorium to the change the date and change the venue--and when you have other perhaps now lost for good. But they have enabled trade to horses of that value for things to change all the time is not easy continue, largely unabated if sometimes delayed, to the when you are preparing them for a breeze. That is why we had enormous relief of those whose annual business is conducted to make our decision early. But today has been very satisfying, predominantly within a few hectic weeks of spring. especially the clearance rate, and we have had the highest In a close replay of last year, Arqana upped sticks and moved median ever as well as record aggregate." Cont. p3 to the Goffs UK complex, and once again provided the most expensive breezer of the European season, in lot 90, the son of Darley America stallion Medaglia d'Oro, who brought the day's high price of ,675,000. The colt, a first foal of the five-time winner Shelbysmile (Smart Strike), herself a half-sister to Dubaian group winners Derbaas (Seeking The Gold) and Chiefdom (The Factor), will now be trained in France by Andre Fabre, having been prepared for sale by master pre-trainer Malcolm Bastard. "Malcolm does such a fantastic job," said Stroud. "He really brings his horses on so well. [The colt] had really good vet work so we decided that he was the one we'd have a go on." Bastard was a partner in the horse with Alex Kershaw, who bought him at Fasig-Tipton's October Sale for $175,000. He said, "He is a fantastic horse, he breezed great and he has a superb temperament. There is a lot of improvement to come from him. Arqana=s Freddy Powell | Zuzanna Lupa TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 29 MAY 2021 Expensive Thrills For Marley And Cullinan For much of the day the colts were well on top in the table but a pair of fillies sold two lots apart brought a dramatic late conclusion to the day's trade. Roger Marley had waxed lyrical on the merits of first-season sire Ribchester (Ire) when quizzed by TDN earlier this year, and his one breezer by the Darley stallion Senior Vice President certainly did not make a fool of him. Sold as lot 147 through the Gary King Church Farm & Horse Park Stud draft Marley runs in association Twitter: @garykingTDN with his Irish partner John Cullinan, the daughter of Cheap [email protected] Thrills (GB) (Bertolini) gave her vendors quite a few expensive + 1.732.320.0975 thrills when knocked down at ,590,000 following a ding-dong battle between Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock and Alex International Editor Elliot and Paul Shanahan bidding outside the ring. Tucked away Kelsey Riley Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN in his office, Brown prevailed and was delighted to have [email protected] succeeded on the horse he declared to be the best filly he has seen at the breeze-ups all season. European Editor He said, "She did a phenomenal breeze and she has a great Emma Berry stride on her. She's a very attractive filly and it's a proper Twitter: @collingsberry family--it's Chris Wright's good family." [email protected] Brown added, "I'm a massive fan of Ribchester--there's a huge word about him. This was more than I thought I would have to Associate International Editor Heather Anderson give but time will tell if we're right or not. I can't say who her Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN new owner is but they agreed with me." Indeed, the filly had been bought from Wright's Stratford Place Marketing Manager Stud for just ,45,000 at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Alayna Cullen Sale. With a terrific pinhooking result and six juveniles sold for Twitter: @AlaynaCullen an average of ,215,833, it was a good day of trade for Cullinan [email protected] and Marley. The latter said, "I couldn't have seen that coming in a month of Sundays but she has been very popular and is so Contributing Editors straightforward. She has an amazing action and covers so much Alan Carasso Christina Bossinakis ground. I loved her from the minute she came over from Ireland." Cont. p4 Cafe Racing Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele Lot 147, a filly by Ribchester made ,590,000 | Arqana TDN EUROPE • PAGE 4 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 29 MAY 2021 Arqana Breeze-Up Sale Cont. was among the leading lights of the Tattersalls December Foal Lot 37, a Distorted Humor half-brother to Grade II winner Sale of 2019 when bought by David Cox of Baroda Stud.