Indian pharmaceutical billionaire Cyrus Poonwalla went to €900,000 ($1,220,008 in United States funds) to acquire Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) runner-up Kenhope at the Arqana Arc sale Oct. 5 at Saint-Cloud.
Total revenues and average price showed healthy gains of 27.5% and 14.3%, respectively from last year's sale as 29 of 49 horses offered were sold at a clearance rate of 59.2%.
Arqana reported total receipts of €5,233,000 ($7,093,669) and an average price of €180,448 ($244,608). The median price of €125,000 ($169,445) was up 19% from the 2012 sale.
Kenhope, a 3-year-old Kendargent filly, will ultimately join Poonwalla's broodmare band in India but for the present, she will continue her racing career with Pantall and be aimed for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) Oct. 19 at Ascot. She will then head to Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Nicolas de Watrigant's Mandore Agency was the underbidder on the bay filly, who has three wins, three seconds, and two thirds from 12 career starts for owner-breeder Guy Pariente and trainer Henri-Alex Pantall.
Kenhope is out of the Chato mare Bedford Hope. She is Poonwalla's first public auction purchase and he was particularly impressed with her race record. He is the owner of elite European sprinter Gordon Lord Byron, who is set to start in the Qatar Prix de la Foret (Fr-I) on the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) undercard Oct. 6 at Longchamp.
As a 2-year-old, Kenhope finished second in the Prix Thomas Bryon (Fr-III) against males, and began 2012 with back-to-back wins including the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-III). She stepped up in the Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) in June at Royal Ascot, where she finished second to Sky Lantern. At Deauville in August, she finished third to Elusive Kate in the Prix Rothschild (Fr-I) before posting a creditable fourth in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes (Ire-I) Sept. 7 at Leopardstown, where she rapidly closed ground from the back of the field.
Jean-Pierre Deroubaix, acting on behalf on an unnamed Russian client, went to the sale's second-highest price of €580,000 ($786,270) for 2013 Grosser Preis von Bayern (Ger-I) runner-up Empoli.
The 3-year-old Halling colt, trained by Peter Schiergen for previous owner and breeder Gestut Ebbesloh, was bought with the Dubai Carnival in mind. He is out of stakes-placed Estefania, by Acatenango, and from the family of 1998 German Oaks (Ger-II) winner Elle Danzig.
"In line with the dynamics of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), the Arc sale is an exceptional showcase for high quality horses, whose varied profiles attract a very international range of buyers, hailing most notably from Russia, India, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, etc.," Arqana chairman Eric Hoyeau said at the conclusion on the sale.
"Each year, graduates of the sale go on to win all over the world, particularly in Dubai and in Australia, and we wish the same success to this year's buyers while thanking them for their investments."
