At the Arqana sale held on the eve of the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a select group of elite racehorses with international ambitions took centre stage. It was a weekend of immense significance for French racing, and these standout prospects did not disappoint.
Record Sales Ahead of Arc Weekend
One of the highlights of the evening was Ramadan, fresh from his impressive win in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp. The standout colt attracted a winning bid of €1.5 million from Lion Rock Bloodstock. Not far behind was Palladium, this year’s Deutsches Derby champion, who sold for €1.4 million to Highflyer Bloodstock. Zarir, a regally bred gelding from the Aga Khan's stables, fetched €1.3 million, bought by Paulins Racing. The final seven-figure sale of the night was Trafalgar Square, a Listed race winner, who went for €1.15 million.
Ramadan and Palladium Lead
Ramadan, a homebred Le Havre colt owned by Nurlan Bizakov, became the top seller of the evening. Vin Cox, representing Lion Rock, outbid numerous competitors for the promising colt, who is expected to continue his racing career in Hong Kong. Trained by Christopher Head, Ramadan came to the sale fresh off his biggest victory in the Group 2 contest at Longchamp, adding to his two previous Group 3 wins at Deauville and Longchamp. Though he didn’t win any Group 1 races, Ramadan's strong pedigree made him a valuable purchase. He’s a half-brother to Rasima, a Listed Stakes winner, and is closely related to Chinese White, who won the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
Another standout, Palladium, the Deutsches Derby winner, became the highest-priced son of Gleneagles ever sold at public auction, fetching €1.4 million. Sold by Liberty Racing through OH Consignment, Palladium was acquired by Highflyer Bloodstock. Palladium was bred by Gestut Fahrhof and won his Derby title in a closely fought contest. He is the second consecutive Derby winner for the syndicate, following in the footsteps of Fantastic Moon, another top contender for this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Zarir, a top contender in the Prix Ganay and Prix Foy, was purchased by Paulins Racing. Vin Cox expressed his enthusiasm after the sale, explaining that they were eager to bring Zarir back to Australia for their staying race program. He noted that securing a horse of such quality from the Aga Khan’s Studs was a big win, especially on a day when Yulong’s other horses also performed well in international races.
The auction's excitement peaked with Trafalgar Square, who garnered considerable attention after his second-place finish in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay earlier in the day. Omar Ismail Sh Ghrghar placed the winning bid of €1.15 million for the gelding, who was sold with an entry in the prestigious Prix Royal-Oak.
Surprises and Success
While these four horses were expected to fetch high prices, Trafalgar Square’s seven-figure price tag came as a pleasant surprise. He was bought to race in Dubai and Libya under the training of French trainers Gianluca Bietolini and Carlos and Yann Lerner.
Other notable sales included Mondo Man, who sold for €520,000 to NBB Racing, and Livio, a three-year-old son of Cokoriko, who was snapped up by Harold Kirk and Pierre Boulard after his Grade 3 win at Lyon-Parilly just days before the sale.
Although the auction’s clearance rate dropped compared to last year, with only 62.5% of the horses finding buyers, the overall figures still showed positive growth. Turnover increased by 5.8%, totalling €10,380,000, and the average sale price saw a remarkable 35.4% rise compared to the previous year.
This sale, set against the backdrop of one of the most prestigious weekends in French racing, provided plenty of excitement and showcased some of the finest equine talent destined for international stardom.