From October 22 to 26, Arqana is organizing its October sale, the major event for French breeding. On this occasion, we went to meet the breeders. Today, focus on the Haras de Castillon with Benoit Jeffroy.
The October sale has often been successful for the yearlings from the Haras de Castillon. This is the case for example of the good 2-year-old Heybetli (Showcasing), second in the Prix La Rochette (Gr3) after winning the Arqana Series – Critérium d'Eté. Generally speaking, the lot of 2-year-olds bred at Castillon also stands out with Mary Jayne (Toronado), Paramecium (Romanised), Konada (Toronado) or the good Relaxx (City Light) and the impressive Selenien (Mehmas).
Relaxx in Chantilly
Two good Mehmas
Castillon will present two Mehmas (Acclamation) in October, the stallion being one of the two sires who have produced the most stakes winners at 2yo this year in England. There are eight in total in the October catalogue. Lot 358 is a daughter of Haddajah (Sea the Stars), the same cross (Mehmas out of Sea the Stars) as Vertical Blue (Prix Marcel Boussac, Gr1). To date, eight horses from this cross have raced, four have won and two are stakes winners: "She is a very beautiful filly, strong and deep." This is also the case for lot 67, a nephew of Cristal Fizz (Power), winner of the Radley Stakes (L, 2yo). Benoit Jeffroy analyses: "He is also a beautiful colt, well made. The sister started early at 2yo. » Still in the “fast and precocious” segment, lot 416 is a daughter of Ardad (Kodiac), whose mother won two races at 2 and came second in the Prix Finland (L): “She seems to be quite precocious, we bred her for an English client.”
Interesting Toronados
Among the yearlings who stand out for their physique, we must mention lot 474, a Toronado (High Chaparral) with a dam by Australia (Galileo), the latter having already distinguished herself with three Group winners in this role this year (including the unbeaten Lazzat ): " She really is a very beautiful filly. The dam was highly regarded by Jean-Claude Rouget." Rosehill (Australia) did indeed start with a four-length victory at 2, but she did not run again. Her first runner Waikato (Shalaa) came within a neck of the black type. Also by Toronado, lot 275 is a grandson of Tropical Mark (Mark of Esteem), second in the Prix Urban Sea (L) and then dam or grandmother of four Group horses: "He is a magnificent colt, from one of our good families."
Beautiful pages
Camelot (Montjeu) is having his best year in 2024 and he will most certainly finish at the top of the list in France. Lot 311 comes from a great Juddmonte lineage (that of Bahamian ). The dam is a sister to Doha Dream (Shamardal), winner of the Prix Chaudenay (Gr2) and Matfog (Style Vendôme), winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiègne (Gr2): "Well made, he moves well. He is really well bred."
Lot 120 is a daughter of Galiway (Galileo) out of a dam by Deep Impact (Sunday Silence). The second dam, Harmonious (Dynaformer), is a winner of the American Oaks Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (Grs1): "She has the physique and moves well. She will certainly need some time."
New Bay (Dubawi) is having a superb season and lot 299 is out of Charm Appeal (Canford Cliffs), unbeaten in two starts at 2, then winner of the Prix Volterra (L): "She belongs to an English client for whom we also bred the dam, Charm Appeal. The filly is well made, deep, with locomotion." Lot 256 is very well bred since he is the son of Al Hayyah (Lope de Vega), placed in the Prix Madame Jean Couturié, La Sorellina and Occitanie (Ls), and therefore brother to Bennetot (Ectot), second in the Prix François Mathet (L): "He is a good colt, very much Persian King, with a lot of strength and ease of movement. The family is very beautiful."
Coming from the good “T” family of the Jeffroy breeding, lot 212 is the brother of the good Relaxx, third in the Prix Six Perfections (Gr3): “He’s a bit like the male version of his sister. He looks a lot like her. Relaxx beat the winner of the Boussac Vertical Blue at Chantilly and ran very well in the Six Perfections. It’s really a family of tough horses, who go to the races.”
For those who like to find the rare pearl
Lot 716 is out of Moonlight in Paris (Literato), second in the Prix de Lieurey (Gr3) before producing Bellaciaociao (Camelot), second in the Prix Luth Enchantee and Dirickx (Ls): "He is far down in the catalogue, but he is an interesting colt who moves well. He is athletic, with depth." In Europe, Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) is the first-production stallion with the most "bold" products this year, but also the best rate of black types per runners. He is quite capable of also finishing at the top according to the number of winners (in Europe), which would be a first in the history of French stallion breeding. Castillon presents one of his sons, out of Layali (Rip van Winkle), second in the Prix Caravelle (L): "He is really good but he is a little hidden in part 3 of the catalogue. He will stand out in this part of the sale. This foal has inherited the strengths of his father, along with the size of his mother. He has good locomotion and a good mentality. Since the preparation, he has made great progress.
Zelzal fan
The stallion from the Haras de Bouquetot has produced 30 individual winners this year in France… knowing that only five active stallions in our country have been capable of doing so at this date in 2024. Zelzal continues to produce black types in 2024, including stakes winners Bellano (Prix de Pontarmé, L) and Fraise des Bois (Criterium du Bequet, L). Lot 550 is out of a dam by No Nay Never (Scat Daddy): “Pretty, compact filly, she seems precocious. She should be “fast and precocious”…” Lot 662 has a dam by Kodiac (Danehill). He is the brother of Olympe Mancini (Toronado), who won when he started his maiden in June of his 2-year-old year at Saint-Cloud: “A good colt, serious, he moves well. I really like Zelzal who produces horses that go to the races.” We see them at 2 years old and they are capable of progressing with age. He will reach his good years in 2025, 2026… The stallion is a bit of a victim of the success of his best products that have been exported to the United States, where they are very popular. His success rate is really solid. For buyers, Zelzal is a safe bet and good value for money. And he regularly produces a good one.
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