Demand For Coolmore Young Guns Continues At Arqana

Queen Iseult (Camelot) provided connections with a tremendous return on her covering to US Navy Flag when selling for €490,000 at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale.

U S Navy Flag was crowned champion two-year-old and went on to finish second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and win the Group 1 July Cup at three. The son of War Front began his stallion career at €25,000 and among his first book of mares was Queen Iseult, a half-sister to French champion two-year-old Dabirsim.

Her new owner is the US-based Dave Reid of Preferred Equine, who raced the top-class juvenile, and now a top sire, No Nay Never.

Caravaggio was another young sire to enjoy a profitable week, following on from strong demand at Goffs and Tattersalls. L’Explora (War Front), a winning half-sister to Requinto, attracted the attentions of BBA Ireland and was knocked down to the Irish agency for €300,000. At €135,000, MAB Agency came away with Boscastle, a half-sister to Listed Anothertwistafate (Scat Daddy).

The catalogue contained just two foals by Caravaggio and both proved popular, as Magnolia Bloodstock went to €120,000 for the colt out of Spindrift, while Margaret O’Toole gave €130,000 for the colt out of Marie The Sea.

Fellow first crop sire Churchill also made a strong start in the sales ring at Goffs and Tattersalls, and demand followed at Arqana, where BBA Ireland gave €85,000 for his only son in the catalogue. Stakes performer Rosie’s Premiere carried a March cover to Churchill and was knocked down to Tweenhills/Widden for €140,000.