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International demand drives Arqana Autumn Sale 

A record price was set on Monday during the opening session of the Arqana Autumn Sale when wild card entry Carini (Siyouni) sold for €600,000 to Nicolas Lefevre of Equos Racing who bought the gelding with Louis Le Metayer of Astute Bloodstock. 

The three-year-old has won three times and was last seen finishing second in the Listed Prix Vulcain (2500m) at Deauville last month. Carini is out of the Group 2 winner Candarliya (Dalakhani) who is a half sister to Listed winner Canessar (Kendargent). Trained by Francis Graffard, Carini was sold by the Aga Khan Studs. 

"I've bought him for my old boss Louis Le Metayer, for one of his Australian clients, said Nicolas Lefevre. It's been four years since we last bought together - there is a lot of competition for horses like him. We've followed him for a long time. We're delighted the story continues with him!"

The next most expensive lot to sell on Monday was four-year-old Group 3 winner Djo Francaise (Intello) who was bought by BBA Ireland for €320,000. The colt, who has been very consistent and has a rating of 104, will now go to Saudi Arabia. 

One bound for Australia was Shaiyha (Camelot), another offering from the Aga Khan Studs, who was bought by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for €300,000. The three-year-old gelding broke his maiden over 2200 metres at Longchamp on 15 September and won again over 2900 metres at Clairefontaine since the catalogue was published.

During the opening session on Monday, 162 lots (27 per cent more than last year) sold for €6,421,000. The aggregate was up 36 per cent on last year's corresponding session when 128 lots sold for €4,712,000. The average of €39,636 was up eight per cent compared to last year's figure of €36,813. The median however fell 25 per cent from €20,000 a year ago to €15,000.