‘She has an impressive pedigree’ – well-related mares and horses in …
The first Auctav sale of 2024 takes place on Tuesday, with the four lots including a maiden half-sister to multiple Graded winner and Grade 1-placed Easy Game.
Consigned by Gaetan Taupin, the six-year-old was unraced due to injury, but holds plenty of residual value as a broodmare. She is in foal to Haras de Cercy's Free Port Lux, already the sire of useful National Hunt performers.
Taupin commented: "Idee Game was injured after breaking in, so we kept her for breeding. She has an impressive pedigree with females who produce very well.
"Horses from this family have a lot of class on the Flat and look more like purebreds more than French chasers. I wanted a tall stallion to add height and model to her turn of foot."
The five-year-old Duchesse Athenia is another with plenty of upside. A winner over hurdles, the daughter of Castle Du Berlais is a half-sister to Royal Bond Novice Hurdle third Le Martalin and another Grade 1-placed performer in Vision D'honneur. Another sibling, the Doctor Dino-sired Nurse Susan, was fourth in the 2022 Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle behind Love Envoi. She won a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
Duchess Athenia: half-sister to two Grade 1 performers
Owner Amelie Leviau said of the decision to sell: "This sale is due to a reduction in our racing operations. Duchesse Athenia hails from the renowned breeding programme of Gaetan Gilles, who has bred horses like Rose Or No, Chichicastenango, and Mid Dancer.
"As the daughter of a stallion by Saint Des Saints, this young mare is the sister of accomplished horses, and her sister Nurse Susan is expected to be formidable at Cheltenham in March, further enhancing the prestige of this rare pedigree in the market."
The sale is completed by two horses in training in Qantiem and Sinnerman, the last-named a dual winning son of Territories and a half-brother to Argentinian Listed winner Sissy Chanel. Qantiem, a winner on debut at Pau in 2022, hails from the family of Classic winner and established sire Reliable Man.
Trainer Damien de Watrigant said: "These two horses are being offered for sale due to a partnership dissolution. Qantiem is a horse who returned to training after a tendon injury during his second race at Pau. This son of Anodin has resumed galloping and light canters.
"Sinnerman, on the other hand, is a sprinter who had a break after his last race at La Teste. He is gradually getting back into work."
Stellar cast for Cheveley Park Stud matings headed by the Frankel-bound Starscope and exciting maidens[1]
Masses of miles, studs and sires on an Irish Stallion Trail I could make a habit of[2]