Darley sires star at Arqana

The opening two days of Arqana's August sale have passed with Darley stallions enjoying some excellent results.

Seven lots by star Kildangan stallion Shamardal (pictured) were offered and all were sold, with a top price of €720,000 being signed for by John Warren for a full-sister to multiple Group-winner French Navy and a half-sister to Cape Cross' Sovereign Stakes hero Sea Lord. All of his sales topped €140,000 and produced a very healthy average of €263,000 (over five times their conception fee).

Dubawi has now sired 52 individual Group winners in record time and he was represented by only one offspring, a filly out of Coyote consigned by Coulonces, with Patrick Barbe going to €500,000 to take her home.

Other notable successes included Mandore International going to €360,000 to secure an Exceed And Excel filly out of Bikini Babe; a €280,000 purchase by Meridian International for a New Approach filly closely related to Exceed And Excel's Breeders' Cup winner Outstrip and John Warren paying €220,000 for a Cape Cross filly out of Orion Girl.

Other stallions with healthy returns included first-season sire Poet's Voice, who had four offspring sell for an average of €104,000 with a top price of €185,000, a very nice return on his initial covering fee of £12,000, and Raven's Pass with his three selling for an average of €173,000 with a top price of €240,000 for a filly out of Elle Gala.

New Approach had four yearlings sell for €150,000 or more, Iffraaj's highest was €170,000 for a filly out of Larceny (17 times her conception fee) and the lone Lonhro, from his first Northern Hemisphere crop, made €180,000 and was bought by Broadhurst Agency.