A son of Invincible Spirit sold to Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International for a record-shattering Arqana breeze-up price of €750,000 ($1,032,119 in United States funds) May 10 at Saint-Cloud.
Grove Stud's record-priced colt is out of the unraced Law Society mare Morning Sun, a half sister to multiple group I winner and elite German sire Monsun, who died in 2012. Morning Sun has produced two winners from as many to race, including French group III-placed Beaulieu.
De Watrigant, outlasting Coolmore's M. V. Magnier in a bidding duel, bought the colt on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing.
Saturday's record price eclipses the previous sale mark of €520,000 ($675,196) that Marco Botti paid last year for a colt by 2009 European Horse of the Year Sea The Stars out of Navajo Moon, by Danehill. The
Arqana breeze-up sale posted
a
record
top
price
for
the
third
consecutive
year.
The sale of this year's record breaker, bred in France by Hara De La Perelle, represents a huge pinhooking triumph for Grove Stud owner Brendan Holland. He bought the youngster for €55,000 ($75,273) last year at the Arqana October yearling sale.
To watch the Invincible Spirit colt in his presale breeze, click here.
De
Watrigant was
leading
buyer with four horses purchased for
€1,150,000 ($1,582,58). Among them was another Invincible Spirit colt who is out of multiple stakes-placed winner In
The
Light,
by Inchinor, and was bought for €200,000 ($275,231) from The
Channel
Consignment.
Nearly 76% of the
116
horses
on
offer
changed
hands for total receipts of
€6,795,000 ($9,353,398), an 11.1% increase. Overall, 88 horses sold
for an
average price
of
€76,705 ($105,558), up
15%
from 2013. The median price was a record €55,000 ($75,688), a 12.2% rise. Eighteen horses
sold for
€100,000 ($137,615) or more.