Offering shares in leading French sire Zarak and promising G1 winning sire Hello Youmzain, ARQANA’s Pop-Up Sale took place on Wednesday and the two shares were sold for a total of €920,000.
Bidding on behalf of Haras Voltaire, bloodstock agent Laurent Benoit (Broadhurst Agency) had the final say at €740,000 ($A1.1million) for a share in Zarak.
The leading sire in France by black-type winners, the Aga Khan Studs stallion has produced this year’s Classic winning Metropolitan, that took the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr.1), as well as Haya Zark and Zagrey, that took the Prix Ganay and Grosser Preis von Baden (Gr.1s) respectively.
A son of breed shaper Dubawi out of the exceptional champion Zaraka, he was also a winner at the highest level in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr.1) and stands at a fee of €60,000.
The share in Cambridge Stud shuttler Hello Youmzain was knocked down for €180,000, also to Laurent Benoit, who was bidding this time on behalf of Haras des Sablonnets.
A Group winner at two and a Group I winner at three and four, he was one of the best European sprinters.
His first crop are two, and he has already sired the very talented Electrolye, an excellent second in the Coventry Stakes (Gr.2) at Royal Ascot and his first Southern Hemisphere runners will hit tracks next season.