Aktem's Paris Breeze-Up Sale takes place off the back of lively trade at Tattersalls Ireland and, with positive responses from both vendors and prospective buyers, hopes are high for another good day of selling June 3.
The sales company is the brainchild of Sofiane Benaroussi, and it has been a case of so far, so positive. Trade at Aktem's recent Grand Steeple Selection Sale included Mahadevi selling for a hefty €510,000 to Coolmara Stables; she was the standout among 46 lots which sold for a gross of €2,744,000. The average was €59,652, and the median was €22,000.
Taking place at Maisons-Laffitte in the Northwestern Parisian suburb, the auction house's first breeze-up sale consists of 81 2-year-olds (after withdrawals) offered by consignors from both sides of the Channel, including Danielle Hurley's Woodlands Lodge, John Bourke's Hyde Park Stud and Haras des Hortensias.
While this year's European breeze-up market has mostly struggled to match the highs of 12 months ago, trade at the Tattersalls Ireland sale at Fairyhouse defied the trend, producing record-breaking results across the board, momentum Aktem is hoping will continue into Wednesday's session.
Daniel Cooper of Aktem said: "The consignors have been very positive about the sale at Maisons-Laffitte, while the buyers have been very enthusiastic about the location. It's so easy coming into Paris, especially for the European-based professionals.
"It's our first breeze-up, and we started looking for horses back in January. It's been tricky to get the catalog together, but we got there in the end, and we've a nice catalog with good sires represented, and a couple of good first-season sires as well.
"Monsieur Benaroussi is very keen, and the Chantilly trainers have all been very positive."
Some of Europe's leading sires, including Blue Point, Starspangledbanner, Sioux Nation, and Showcasing, are represented. They are joined by youngsters from the first crop of sires such as Sealiway, Texas, Blackbeard, Minzaal, Space Traveller, Dubawi Legend, and Persian Force, who has made a fast start with his runners, siring eight winners, including a pair of stakes-placed runners.
Cooper said of the timing of the sale: "We have different types of horses; staying types and speedy types. It seems to give some of those first-season sires a chance, in terms of seeing what's what, and it also gives these 2-year-olds a chance to develop for that extra month.
"We've had a lot of agents asking about timing (the breezes), and we said we'd leave off and then talk to everyone after the sale about it. We'll talk to everyone afterwards, but we're happy with what we're doing."
Plenty of time and money has been put into making sure the racecourse is ready for the sale, which also has Guy Petit at the helm. The agent was announced as Aktem's head of bloodstock in December.
Cooper added: "Guy Petit has huge experience and it's great to have him guiding a hugely committed team. It's all been positive."
The sale begins at 1 p.m. local time.
