Graduates of the ARQANA sales took centre stage last weekend, collecting no less than five Group trophies including a double at the highest level.
It all started at Leopardstown on Saturday evening, when October yearling and breeze-up purchase THE GREY GATSBY inflicted a shock defeat upon Champion three-year-old elect AUSTRALIA in the Irish Champion Stakes (Gr.1). The French Derby winner was seeking revenge on his Epsom counterpart, as their first encounter in the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr.1) had seen the domination of the Coolmore colour-bearer. The Grey Gatsby was sold for €24,000 by Haras du Cadran at the 2012 October Yearling Sale, and consigned by Grove Stud at the following Breeze Up sale where the son of Mastercraftsman was knocked down to Stephen Hillen for €120,000.

On Sunday, Longchamp racecourse was playing host to the Qatar Arc Trials, and there were more fireworks for horses purchased at ARQANA.
The pure-bred Arabian DAHOR DE BRUGERE started the day in fine fashion, taking the Prix Dragon (Gr.2 PA) and extending his unbeaten record on his sixth outing. He had been offered by Haras de l'Abbaye at the 2010 Pure-bred Arabian Sale, where F.B.A. snapped him up for only €20,000.

Half an hour later, ECTOT posted a dazzling performance in the Prix Niel (Gr.2) for the new partnership formed of Al Shaqab Racing, Gérard Augustin-Normand and Elisabeth Vidal. The son of Hurricane Run was part of the Ecurie des Monceaux draft at the 2012 August Yearling Sale, and caught the eye of Sylvain Vidal who bought him for a bargain €75,000.

The result of the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Gr.1) was a 1-2 of ARQANA yearling purchases. CHARM SPIRIT recorded a gutsy win, holding off the odds-on favourite TORONADO, winner of the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr.1) and runner-up to Kingman in the Sussex Stakes (Gr.1). Like Ectot, Charm Spirit was sold by Ecurie des Monceaux, this time at the 2012 October Yearling Sale, and it was his trainer Freddy Head who signed the docket at €140,000. As for TORONADO, he graduated from the previous year’s August Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Haras d'Omméel and knocked down to Amanda Skiffington for €55,000.

To finish things off in style at Longchamp, BATHYRHON annexed the final Group of the day, the long distance Prix Gladiateur (Gr.3). Meridian International had bought the son of Monsun for €100,000 at the 2011 August Yearling Sale, from the draft of Coulonces Consignment.

Meanwhile at The Curragh, Classic heroine CHICQUITA was making an eagerly expected return in the Blandford Stakes (Gr.2). The runner-up to Trêve in last season’s Prix de Diane (Gr.1) and Irish Oaks heroine took a promising second place. Yet another star to have been bred and sold by Ecurie des Monceaux, she commanded €600,000 from Badgers Bloodstock at the 2011 August Yearling Sale.