ARC SALE 2012: HEADLINING IMMORTAL VERSE WITH ... - Arqana

Press release Friday 14 September 2012
ARC SALE 2012:
HEADLINING IMMORTAL VERSE WITH AN EXCELLENT SUPPORTING CAST
INCLUDING LEAUPARTIE, FORCES OF DARKNESS AND 2YO CAY VERDE
The 2012 edition of the Arc sale, which will be held at Saint-Cloud on Saturday 6 October, has
brought together a very attractive draft of 50 horses in training. The vast majority of the horses on
offer have a rating of 90 or above, making them suitable candidates for the Dubai Carnival, or to
compete at the highest level in Hong Kong, the United States, Australia as well, of course, as in
Europe.
The starring role goes to champion filly IMMORTAL VERSE, who will go through as lot 47. This
daughter of Pivotal, immaculately handled by her trainer Robert Collet, revealed her huge potential at
two before scaling to the top of the racing hierarchy the following year over her preferred distance of a
mile, first of all in the Prix de Sandringham (Gr.2) at Chantilly and then at the highest level at both
Royal Ascot and Deauville. It was in these Meccas of European racing that she ran out the
authoritative winner of two of Europe's most prestigious Group Ones over a mile: the Coronation
Stakes and the Prix Jacques le Marois, where she proved head and shoulders superior to other
champions such as Queen of the Mile Goldikova and triple Group 1 winner Sahpresa. Thanks to her
magnificent performances in these races, Immortal Verse was awarded a rating of 121.
A selection of highly promising two year olds
Six two year olds having already very good form also feature in the catalogue, including the top notch
CAY VERDE (lot 6), a son of Bahamian Bounty trained by Mick Channon, constantly making his
mark at Group level. Indeed, his most recent performance was an easy victory over 1100 metres in the
Prix d’Arenberg (Gr.3) at Chantilly, having had a fruitful month of August highlighted by two third
places in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes, run at Goodwood and York
respectively.
Trained in Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, PEARL FLUTE (lot 44), finished third in the Prix de
Cabourg (Gr.3) this summer at Deauville and more recently also finished third in the Prix de la
Rochette (Gr.3) run just a few days ago at Longchamp, beaten a neck by AVANTAGE who finished
second. The latter, who will go through the ring as lot 52, had previously finished third in the Prix
François Boutin (L.) at Deauville, under the care of Pia Brandt.
High class three year olds and older horses
Trained by Fabrice Chappet and rated 109, LEAUPARTIE (lot 23), is particularly eye catching both
physically and thanks to some top class performances. She lost her maiden tag on just her second start
in a B race at Saint-Cloud in the Spring before taking the Prix de Psyché (Gr.3) at the end of July in
Deauville, where she finished ahead of Romantica who reversed the placings with the Gérard

Augustin-Normand owned filly on their next start a month later in the Prix de la Nonette (Gr.2).
Please note she will be going through the ring with an entry in the next day’s Group 1 Prix de l’Opéra.
FORCES OF DARKNESS, trained by Fabrice Vermeulen, is lot 36 of this year's Arc sale. Rated 109
and already the winner of a B race at two, this daughter of Lawman successfully made the transition to
Group level, finishing third in the Prix Saint Alary (Gr.1) not beaten far by the winner Sagawara,
before finishing fourth in the Prix de Diane against top class fillies Beauty Parlour and Valyra. She
then claimed her own victory at Group level over 2500 metres at Deauville, running out the brave
winner of the Prix Minerve (Gr.3). Himself a Group 3 winner, though in Ireland, TAKAR (lot 51)
will also go through the ring. This colt owned by his Highness the Aga Khan and trained by John Oxx
took the Minstrel Stakes (Gr.3) over 1400 m at the Curragh last July, having previously run out the
easy winner of the Glencairn Stakes (L.) at Leopardstown.
Several other three year old colts have picked up black type along the way, including the two German
colts trained by Peter Schiergen GIROLAMO (lot 22), rated 114 and third in the Deutsches Derby
(Gr.1) at Hamburg and SALON SOLDIER (lot 43), who has twice finished third at Group 3 level at
Düsseldorf and Munich. Also worth a mention is Jean-Claude Rouget’s pupil BEAUVOIR (lot 53)
who ran third in a Listed race at La Teste last time out, having finished third as well in the Prix La
Force (Gr.3) at Longchamp in the Spring. Another is TIFONGO (lot 54), a son of Dr Fong trained by
Henri-Alex Pantall who finished second in the Prix Noailles (Gr.2) at Longchamp. And as for
TROPAIOS (lot 26) trained by Carlos Laffon Parias, he was impressive at La Teste on 8 September
when winning the Prix Millkom (L.) and has won four races and been placed three times from nearly
as many starts. Under the expert care of master trainer André Fabre, the lightly raced AMIENS (lot
12), has only had three starts and very recently finished fourth in the Gr.3 Prix de Lutèce over 3000
metres at Longchamp, having lost his maiden tag in the summer at Clairefontaine.
Among the older horses, MOONWALK IN PARIS (lot 46), trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and rated
114, is a four year old miler who has been placed several times at Group level this year. His first
victory at this level was achieved in great style in the Prix Edmond Blanc (Gr.3) at Saint-Cloud in
April. He was then placed twice in the Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord (Gr.3) then the Prix Messidor
(Gr.3) and his last performance is a second place, just a short head behind Fractionnal in the Prix
Quincey (Gr.3) at Deauville. It was in the Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord (Gr.3) at Chantilly that
VAGABOND SHOES (lot 8), trained by Yann Durepaire, had his most successful performance this
year. This five year old has put up some very good performances this year, as has RED DUBAWI (lot
32) trained by Alain de Royer Dupré and a recent second in the Prix de Boulogne (L.) as well as
STREET SECRET (lot 7), a daughter of Street Cry from the family of Urban Sea, trained by Pia
Brandt and twice placed at Listed level this summer. The same goes for SHAMALGAN (lot 18),
winner of the Group.2 Oettingen-Rennen at 4, who finished an eyecatching second half a length
behind Mashoora in the Prix de la Porte Maillot (Gr.3) at Longchamp this year.
Five wild card entries available
Five places are available for late entries in order to integrate horses with recent performances right into
the heart of the catalogue. In order to obtain them, all you need to do is contact Dominique Boulard on
+33 6 20 78 44 61 or Freddy Powell on + 44 750 783 25 82.
Catalogue online at www.arqana.com
for more information: +33 (0)2 31 81 81 10 ou info@arqana.com