Carini to join O'Brien stable after setting new Arqana record
Written by Lydia Symonds, TDN Australia NZ
As is the case with plenty of the horses in training sales in the Northern Hemisphere this past decade, buyers from Australia made their presence felt at the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville on Monday with two of the most expensive lots sold to continue their careers Down Under.
The headline act on an afternoon of buoyant trade was three-time-winning and Listed-placed gelding Carini (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who was purchased by Nicolas Lefevre's Equos Racing and Astute Bloodstock's Louis Le Metayer for €600,000 (AU$922,400), a record for price for the sale.
Lefevre was doing the bidding while on the phone to his former boss, Le Metayer and the French native, who is now based in Sydney, told TDN AusNZ on Tuesday that he believed the son of Siyouni (Fr) had the right profile to make his mark in Australia.
“Siyouni is obviously a very good stallion and has done very well in Australia with limited numbers. We mostly bought the horse on his form and really liked the fact that he is by a good stallion out of a Group-winning mare with a good pedigree certainly helps,” said Le Metayer.
The gelding has raced six times in his career for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and the Aga Khan, the 3-year-old will now join the stable of Danny O’Brien having been bought on behalf of prominent-owner Brae Sokolski.
“He was unraced as a 2-year-old, he is sound and he is only just learning. We thought it was the right horse for Australia with his turn of foot,” continued Le Metayer.
“Our staying program means that horses start short and finish long, so you need a stayer that can run first-up over a mile and he has been competitive over a mile which makes him a good prospect for Australia and I think he will be well-suited to race here.”
Carini is out of the dual Group 2-winning mare Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and hails from the family of dual stakes-winning pair Canessar (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and Canndera (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}).
Sokolski has had previous dealings with Carini’s previous trainer, Graffard, through the multiple Group 1-winning mare, Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), who was moved to the French trainer's stable for her fruitless European campaign and he said the trainer contacted him when the gelding horse was entered as a wild card at the sale.
“Francis contacted me and was effusive in his praise for the horse, his ability, and held the belief he would measure up to some better races in Australia,” Sokolski told Racing.com.
Francis-Henri Graffard | Image courtesy of Scoop Dyga
“They (Aga Khan Studs) have a policy of selling geldings but Francis felt that he was a progressive stayer that would fit into the Australian system. Given that endorsement from Francis, I felt that he was one worth pursuing.
“Carini is going to arrive in Australia on a relatively low rating and we're in no hurry with him. We'll look to take him through his grades in the autumn but we're not rushing to set him for major races in 2023, it might be more about the year following.
“We think he'll get over a proper staying trip but we think he's sharp enough to be competitive over 2000 metres, which I think is important, I'm very reluctant to buy horses that are one-dimensional stayers for Australian racing because your options are just so limited.
“I think you need to be purchasing horses that have a turn of foot and be sharp enough to be competitive over middle distances as well. He fits that bill.”
Previous
Le Metayer puts his faith in Siyouni once again
With plenty of Australian activity at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, buyers from the southern hemisphere made their presence felt during the first session of the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale yesterday with prominent agents Louis Le Metayer, Damon Gabbedy and William Johnson all securing mares on the first day of the Deauville sale.
Ace High fulfils Group One destiny
A classic case of being in the right place at the right time led Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson to the stable door of Ace High.
Last Saturday was a special day for Astute Bloodstock
Last Saturday was a special day for Astute Bloodstock given that each of our 5 runners rose to the occasion and won convincingly at Royal Randwick and Flemington. Our priority at work is to select and purchase future elite racehorses so it was a thrill to see 3 winning at Gr.2 level.
Amelia's Jewel All Class in Stocks Stakes
Given a positive ride by Damian Lane, Amelia's Jewel needed a track record-breaking performance to capture Friday night's Group II Ladbrokes Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Tiz Invincible wins Furious Stakes Gr.2
FBAA Hosts Inaugural Day of CPD
Amelia's Jewel Takes Up Where She Left Off
Astute Bloodstock Magic Millions averages
Vermentino's major turning point
Amelia's Jewel shines in Northerly Stakes win
Vermentino - One To Watch
Back to Business for Amelia's Jewel in WA Guineas
Owner/breeder won’t sell ‘special filly’, eyes up maiden Group 1
Peter Walsh, the owner of Amelia Park Racing, claims he has no interest in selling unbeaten filly Amelia’s Jewel and is hoping the rising star of the turf can hand him his Group 1 victory. Longtime owner/breeder Peter Walsh is adamant Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) is the best horse he has had anything to do with. The Simon Miller-trained 3-year-old kept her perfect record intact on Saturday, scoring a gutsy first-up win in the Listed Belgrave S. at Ascot.
Amelia's Jewel Pulls It Out of the Fire
The three-year-old Siyouni filly Amelia's Jewel extended her unbeaten sequence to four with a gutsy win at her seasonal debut in Saturday's Listed Drummond Golf-Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot. Amelia Park's Peter Walsh purchased Bumbasina (IRE) for 76,000 guineas at the 2019 Tattersalls July Sale through Astute Bloodstock. He sent her to Siyouni to southern hemisphere time, and Amelia's Jewel is the result.
Star Patrol impresses again at HQ
There was no wide-margin success for Star Patrol at his second visit down the Flemington straight on Saturday, but the stopwatch again made for favourable viewing ahead of his first attempt in Stakes company. Star Patrol produced a jaw-dropping seven-length win as an $11 chance in a three-year-old handicap over 1200 metres at Flemington last month, stopping the clock in 1:08.84.
Le Metayer puts his faith in Siyouni once again