This Friday, on the eve of the Arqana breeding stock sales, the recently formed French aftercare charity, Au Delà des Pistes held a stallion nomination auction. This fund-raising event was for the benefit of the charity, which was set up under the initiative of The Aga Khan Studs and Godolphin, in order to promote the retraining of racehorses in France. Fourteen nominations were auctioned for a total of 285,500 euros :
CHARM SPIRIT : offered by Qatar Racing & Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, sold for €25,000 to FBA, Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet
DRADON PULSE : offered by the Irish National Stud, sold for €8,000 to an anonymous buyer
DAWN APPROACH : offered by Darley, sold for €32,000 to the Aga Khan Studs
INTELLO : offered by the Wertheimer Brothers, sold for €26,000 to the Haras des Capucines
MARTALINE : offered by the Haras de Montaigu, sold for €16,000 to the Haras du Lieu des Champs
MASTERCRAFSTMAN : offered by Coolmore, sold for €25,000 to Cocheese Bloodstock, Haras du Petit Tellier
MAXIOS : offered by Flaxman Stables Ireland Limited, sold for €11,000 to Berend Van Dalfsen
MUKHADRAM : offered by Shadwell Stud, sold for €8,500 to the Aga Khan Studs
NEW BAY : offered by Juddmonte, sold for €24,000 to Riviera Equine
OLYMPIC GLORY : offered by Al Shaqab, sold for €16,000 to Haras du Petit Tellier, Cocheese Bloodstock
RAJSAMAN : offered by the Haras de la Cauvinière, sold for €8,000 to Skymarc Farms, Suprina Bloodstoc
SCISSOR KICK : offered by the Haras D’Etreham, sold €10,000 sold to FBA, Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet
SIYOUNI : offered by the Aga Khan Studs, sold for €60,000 to MAB Agency, Philip Michenot
VADAMOS : offered by the Haras de Saint Pair, sold €16,000 to Ecurie des Monceaux
These funds will be used to finance the following objectives :
• To organise racecourse events that raise the awareness of the versatility of the thoroughbred. These will highlight the structures and individuals that undertake racehorse retraining, like the Racehorse Retraining Day that was organised in Deauville in August this year
• To accredit retraining facilities in France in order to ensure the aftercare provided is of the best possible standard and to improve the tracking of these horses
• To organise equestrian competitions for ex-racehorses to promote their versatility.
• To create a fund for vulnerable racehorses.
Au Delà des Pistes would like to thank all the owners, stallion managers, studs and buyers that contributed to making this event a success. We would also like to mention the under bidders namely Andreas Putsch, Jean Biraben, Mandore International Agency, Alec Waugh, Chryss O’Reilly, Blandford Bloodstock, Ghislain Bozo and White Birch Farms that assisted in raising this fund. Furthermore the Arqana sales team organised a faultless auction, while there were several partners that generously donated their time and services for the event, notably Jour de Galop who gave a 2016 Yearbook to each buyer, Henri Morel who donated the food and soft drinks for the cocktail and Constantin de Lencquesaing the Financial Director of the Aga Khan Studs who gave the wine from his family’s vineyard, Château Bonadona (2013).
Aliette Forien, owner of the Haras de Montaigu and also President of Au Delà des Pistes, said after the auction: “Once again the bloodstock industry has shown a united front for this cause that affects us all. I would like to sincerely thank all the studs and stallion owners that gave nominations to this auction but also the buyers and under bidders that all helped to make this auction a huge success. The funds raised will allow Au Delà des Pistes to achieve their objectives set for 2017. This is both encouraging and exciting for the future of this project “.