Extreme Choice Yearling Tops Arqana Sale

The top lot at the Arqana February Mixed Sale on 12 February sold for €110,000 and was a yearling filly (Lot 115) by Extreme Choice who was the first untried horse by the sire to be offered in Europe, reports bloodhorse.com. Breeder Peter Anastasiou sent his mare Grey Queen (More Than Ready-Dalmiya, by Kalanisi) to Newgate Farm to be covered to Northern Hemisphere time, then tansported her to John Kilpatrick's JK Thoroughbreds in Normandy to foal the filly last March. "The filly is by an Australian sire who has quite exceptional statistics from limited crops," said purchaser Haras d'Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure. "I think she's the only Extreme Choice to be sold in Europe. We love to diversify our bloodlines and she'll be particularly easy to cross. I also loved her physically." Given the cost of production, the sale wasn't a profitable one for the breeder, but it's certainly a great opportunity for the buyer. The filly is a half-sister to Gr1 Queensland Oaks placed Our Gold Hope (Lope De Vega), while her dam was a winner over a mile in America and is a full-sister to Gr3 winner Dalwari from the family of Group 1 winners and sires Daylami, Dalakhani, and Dalghar. A branch has been successful in Australia with dual Gr2 winner Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel-Doulmera, by Mr Greeley). The Arqana sale finished with 225 of the 281 lots offered being sold at a clearance rate of 80%, up from last year's two-day clip of 77%. The gross of €2,691,000 was less than €141,000 down despite the smaller catalogue than last year, at a slightly increased average of €11,960.