France’s Arqana August Sale really came alive on Saturday when the Shamardal x Lady Frankel yearling colt brought an impressive €1.6 million, reports thoroughbreddailynews.com.
His renowned family tree and rarity value caught the attention of bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud, impressed not only by his damline and sire – he is one of the last yearlings by Darley’s deceased gun stallion Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) – but by his close relationship to dual classic winner and leading stallion, Lope De Vega.
Lot 161 – Shamardal ex Lady Frankel
It seemed as if the yearling would be en route to Japan for trainer Yoshito Yahagi yet Stroud refused to let him go, managing to secure him for Godolphin from Gestut Ammerland.
“They’re not making any more Shamardals so it’s not like we can wait…normally a horse like this wouldn’t come on the market but we’ve been able to acquire him,” said Stroud.
Bloodstock advisor to Gestut Ammerland, Crispin de Moubray had also commented on selling the yearling and explained why the decision was made. “He’s the sort of horse that we wouldn’t normally put on the market, but we have decided to reduce the number of horses in training and the easiest way to do that was to put all the yearlings through a sale with a reasonable reserve on them,” he said.
The Arqana August Sale achieved a strong clearance rate of 84% with 112 out of 133 being sold. This brought turnover of €19 862 000.
