A year after realizing its highest ever results at a yearling auction, China Horse Club returned to Arqana for the 2024 August Yearling Sale and again its yearlings achieved high watermarks.
At the close of three days of trading it had sold four of its five yearlings including the second highest priced New Bay yearling of all time and the third highest priced Dark Angel yearling ever, all through its long time consignor Ecurie des Monceaux.
New Bay x Lady Light colt was in high demand
The €620,000 achieved by the New Bay x Lady Light colt has only ever been better by the China Horse Club bred full-sister to G1 heroine Saffron Beach who realized €1,650,000 at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
The much admired Lady Light colt was assessed as potentially a more precocious model and drew the interest of many of Europe’s major players before Sebastien Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine had the final say. Standing beside Desmontils was Norikazu Ozaki, the racing manager of Hisaaki Saito.
CHC management with Sebastien Desmontils and Norikazu Ozaki
“We saw the horse on the farm and liked him. He’s by a very good sire. The dam was a good two-year-old winner and gained black type as well,” Desmontils told media immediately after securing the colt.
“He has the potential to be a stallion if he’s very good and that’s why he made the price he did.”
Dark Angel x Melodic Charm was secured by Sumbe’s Nurlan Bizakov
Later in the evening the Club’s Dark Angel x Melodic Charm filly was secured by one of the many underbidders to the Lady Light colt in SAS Sumbe. It’s principle, Nurlan Bizakov, was on hand to oversee proceeding. Bizakov has had a year to remember with his exceptional G1 winning stars Charyn, also by Dark Angel, and Lazzat.
“Obviously she was one of the few by Dark Angel in the catalogue [and] we were always going to be interested in her,” Bizakov said.
CHC management with Ecurie des Monceaux director Henri Bozo (left) and Nurlan Bizakov (centre)
“I loved her. She is a strong filly and a very good first foal. She comes from an excellent stud. Dark Angel has been very lucky for us and this filly will eventually join our broodmare band.”
The commercial value of the Dark Angel x Melodic Charm filly has continued to be enhanced by the globe trotting exploits of her dam’s half-brother Romantic Charm. Both yearlings may remain in France to race.
The results at Arqana follow strong results earlier in the month at Saratoga (USA) and have set a tone that the Club will bid to continue across Keeneland (USA), Goffs (Ireland) and Tattersalls (Britain).