Arqana's four-day Breeding Stock Sale drew to a close in Deauville Dec. 10 with historic high marks set across the spectrum of market metrics.
The overall top lot, Prix de Diane (G1) heroine Sparkling Plenty, generated the highest price ever witnessed at the Deauville auction house when she sold for €5,000,000 (US$5,263,435, €1=US$1.05) on Dec. 7. Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock signed the ticket on behalf of Coolmore's MV Magnier and partners.
Sparkling Plenty was one of five seven-figure lots to change hands on Saturday, and results from that headline session helped give the end-of-sale stats a particularly healthy-looking glow. After four days of selling, aggregate sales stood at €55,149,500, US$58,055,161), which represents a 17% year-on-year increase. That figure is just 3% behind the turnover record of €56.711 million set in 2022, when 95 more lots changed hands.
However, both average and median prices reached unprecedented highs. The former was up 22% year-on-year at €85,770 (US$90,059), while the latter highlighted the depth to the market by increasing 30% to €26,000 (US$27,300), having also been a record last year at €20,000 (US$21,000). A tightening in the number of offered lots also helped generate a record clearance rate as 782 fillies, mares, and foals were offered, and 643 sold at a clip of 82%.
Following the sale, Arqana president Olivier Delloye and CEO Freddy Powell said in a joint statement: "The Vente d'Élevage has become an unmissable event for the biggest buyers across the world, whom we have had the pleasure of welcoming over the last few days.
"In the space of just a few years, Arqana has succeeded in creating a first-class platform for fillies in and out of training as well as mares. We saw very good prices on Saturday for fillies that will run on, notably to continue their careers in Australia and the United States, such as the four fillies that made over €1 million, Sparkling Plenty, Classic Flower, Excellent Truth, and Spanish Eyes."
The market on day four was led by the 15-year-old stallion Dabirsim. Offered by Haras de Montaigu, the son of Hat Trick was knocked down to Dr. Khaled Salami, signing as KGS, at €160,000 (US$168,000). A deal to stand him was still to be finalized Tuesday evening, but reports suggest his future lies at stud in either Libya or Turkey.
On the track, Dabirsim was sent out to win back-to-back group 1s by trainer Christophe Ferland and owner Simon Springer. He won the Prix Morny (G2) and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) in 2011, with Frankie Dettori in the saddle for both top-level triumphs during an undefeated 2-year-old campaign.
He initially retired to Gestut Karlshof in Germany in 2014 before transferring to Haras de Grandcamp ahead of his third season. He made an immediate impact with his first juveniles as he fielded 18 winners in 2017, a roll of honor headed by Albany Stakes (G3) winner Different League.
Results from Tuesday's session saw 106 lots change hands for a clearance rate of 84%. Those trades brought turnover of €985,500 (US$1,034,775), which was up 69% on last year, an average price of €9,295, (US$9,760) up 74%, and a median of €4,500 (US$4,725), up 13%.
