Unsuccessful Auction Yet Growing Popularity
The stallion Martinborough stirred up quite a buzz during Auctav’s National Hunt Sale on Friday, where bidding reached an impressive €390,000. However, despite this high offer, the striking horse remained unsold.
Martinborough, now 15 years old, boasts a sleek black coat and embodies a commanding presence. Paraded at Haras de Bois Roussel, this stallion has been standing in France since 2017. He has gained a reputation for producing reliable jump race winners, which has made him the subject of much private interest from various breeding studs. His popularity soared even more after his son Majborough triumphed in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, making Martinborough one of the rare high-demand stallions to appear in a public auction. While both in-person and phone bids came in, he ultimately did not change ownership.
In his racing career, Martinborough claimed victory in a Group 3 event on the Flat in Japan. As a son of the legendary Deep Impact, with a bloodline connecting to Singspiel and Rahy, his pedigree is outstanding. He is also a half-brother to the dam of two prominent Japanese racehorses, Vivlos and Cheval Grand. This year, he stood for a fee of €3,000 at Andre-Jean Belloir’s Haras de la Baie, situated near Mont-Saint-Michel.
Other Stallions on Offer
The sale catalogue also featured two other stallions. Morpheus, a 14-year-old half-brother to Frankel, began the sale as lot 1, with Nigel Riley purchasing him for €18,000. Meanwhile, Sisfahan, the 2021 Deutsches Derby winner, was presented by Gestüt Ohlerweiherhof as a potential sire for both jumps and middle-distance races. Yet, despite his achievements and appeal, he also went unsold, with a final bid of €200,000.
Auctav’s picturesque headquarters in Bursard, Normandy, played host to this auction. Although known for its online sales, the company has occasionally organised physical auctions for prospects in Flat racing and trotting. The event featured a diverse range of jump-racing stock, including foals, yearlings, and two-year-olds. The auction saw participation from a wide array of buyers, including pinhookers, agents, and trainers. However, bidding was somewhat erratic, with several lots not meeting their reserve prices.
Ironically, a son of Martinborough topped the sales chart for sold lots. Guy Petit purchased Catch On Me, a four-year-old gelding, for €120,000. Bred and trained by Jean-Philippe Dubois, Catch On Me had previously won at Vichy in the spring and shown promise over hurdles at Auteuil.
Earlier in the auction, British agent Tom Malone secured a Clovis Du Berlais filly named Clotilda with an online bid of €100,000. The three-year-old filly, trained by Patricia Butel and Jean-Luc Beaunez for a group of owners including her breeder Antonia Devin, has run eight times this year. Since transitioning to fences, she has placed in all three of her recent starts at Clairefontaine and Compiègne.
Young Racehorses with Potential
Other promising racehorses included a yearling sired by Chachnak, the dual Group 3-winning son of Kingman. Neuilly Bloodstock purchased the yearling for €60,000. Offered by Haras de la Beauvoisinière, this yearling comes from a strong bloodline, being out of Plaisir D’Amour, a Listed race winner over fences at Cheltenham under Venetia Williams' training.
One of the first notable lots to fetch a significant sum was La Grande Zohra, an unraced half-sister to the dual Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow. Ecurie Alexandre De Jesus offered her in foal to Saint Des Saints, the sire of Fastorslow, and she was bought for €80,000 by Hubert Barbe and Alexandra Rosa’s Horseracing Advisory.
This sale was filled with fascinating moments, despite some lots going unsold. The prominence of horses like Martinborough and his progeny kept the atmosphere electric, making it an exciting event for all participants.