Behind the scenes of the August sales
As the future stars of the races are about to go under the auction fire at Arqana, Antoine Bellanger, in charge of the yearlings at the Ecurie des Monceaux welcomed us for the preparation of the sale. The Haras des Monceaux, created in 1925 by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, is a historic stud in the Pays d'Auge. Since 2003, it has acquired a place of choice among the best French breeders.
Three incredible horses sold at Deauville
Urban Sea "La Matrone
Presented by the Haras d'Etreham at the August 1990 Yearling Sale where she was bought for 280,000 Francs by trainer Jean Lesbordes for Hong Kong owner David Tsui, Urban Sea was crowned at 3 in the most prestigious race in the world, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She then entered the stud farm and gave birth to two champions, Galileo and Sea The Stars, who have themselves become leaders of the breed.
Almanzor, "the champion of his generation"
Presented by the same stud years later, in August 2014, Almanzor was sold for €100,000 to trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. After three successes at the highest level of competition in France, England and Ireland and having accumulated more than €1 million in earnings, he was crowned "Best 3-year-old male in Europe" in 2016. At the end of this brilliant career, he returned to his birthplace as a stallion and his offspring are beginning to shine in the ring.
Sistercharlie, now a star in the United States
Passed through the ARQANA ring during the October Sale, the second largest sale dedicated to yearlings in Deauville, where she was bought for €12,000 by the broker Paul Nataf, Sistercharlie made a brilliant start to her career in France, taking 2nd place in the Prix de Diane. Bought by the billionaire Peter Brant shortly before this performance, she then joined the stables of trainer Chad Brown in New York, for whom she won 7 times at the highest level. This record of achievement earned her the title of "Best Mare of the Year 2019" at the Eclipse Awards, a ceremony recognizing the best horses on the other side of the Atlantic.
Famous racehorse owners
Jean Gabin bought his first yearling in 1969. He was followed by Alain Delon who owned five horses in 1971, four of which won races. In 1974, Jean-Paul Belmondo was convinced by his friend Pierre Vernier to buy a yearling at Deauville. Michel Sardou is also a racing enthusiast, having owned a horse for many years with trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.
In recent years, it was Gérard Augustin-Normand, founder of the management company Richelieu Finance and Steve Burggraf, creator of the Big Fernand restaurants who embarked on the adventure. In 2017, footballer Antoine Griezmann and Thierry Gillier, co-founder of the Zadig&Voltaire brand, decided to take on their "colors" as racehorse owners. Both buyers of several foals at the ARQANA sales, they have already tasted the joys of victory at the highest level thanks to TORNIBUSH and ALZIRE respectively.
