France’s most prestigious yearling (18-month-old English thoroughbred) auction, the Deauville sales, recorded an unprecedented turnover of more than 51 million euros, organizers announced Tuesday.

Total turnover jumped 18% still compared to 2019 to reach 51,071,000 euros, the Arqana sales agency specifies in a press release.

Foals sold for hundreds of thousands of euros

The highest price of this edition was reached on Sunday by the sale of Sottsass’s brother (winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe), awarded for 2.1 million euros to Japanese master trainer Yoshito Yahagi. This colt, presented by the Écurie des Monceaux, is the son of Siyouni and Starlet’s Sister.

Dubawi’s son and winner of the Minerva Golden Valentine award, also given by the Ecurie des Monceaux, was acquired this Monday for two million euros by Godolphin, the stable of the Emir of Dubai Mohammed ben Rached al-Maktoum.

Godolphin, the biggest buyer at the end of the three auction days, won six yearlings bought for an auction volume of €5.55 million. Deauville’s record for the sale of a single horse was set at €2.6 million in 2015.

The average price of the yearlings (one-year-old English thoroughbreds) sold this year reached 210,025 euros for the 285 horses presented, says Arqana. 84% of the horses found buyers.

The Arqana sales agency, the second yearling sales agency after Tattersalls in England, launched these sales in 2000 and organized the event which is one of the most prestigious yearling auctions in France.