Yoshito Yahagi was in Deauville to oversee Bathrat Leon’s run in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and stuck around to do some high-end shopping, paying €2.1 million, the equivalent of 287 million yen, for the brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass at the Arqana August Sale.

Bathrat Leon led up before fading to finish seventh, eight lengths behind the winner Inspiral, but Yahagi was far from disheartened when winning the day in the sales ring with a couple of high-profile purchases.

The yearling colt out of prolific producer Starlet’s Sister was always expected to be the highlight on the second of the three days at Arqana, and it ended up a dual between David Redvers, bidding for Qatar Racing’s Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, and Yahagi.

It was the iconic Japanese trainer who would win the day, with the Siyouni colt to head to his stables.

“It’s a really good pedigree and he’s a very well-made colt. I loved him. He’s Sottsass’s brother, and My Sister Nat was second to my horse (Loves Only You) at last year’s Breeders’ Cup. She’s also a very good filly,” Yahagi told reporters.

“I will take him to Japan and I hope he will win the Japanese Derby, then I hope to bring him back to France later.”

𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑼𝑮𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑬 ⛱

The highly anticipated lot 1️⃣5️⃣4️⃣, a colt by #Siyouni (@AgaKhanStuds), brother to excellent SOTTSASS offered by @EcurieMonceaux sells to Yoshito Yahagi for €2,100,000.#TheAugustSale pic.twitter.com/ADlAbf8eDX

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) August 14, 2022

The colt’s half-sister My Sister Nat is a multiple Group 3 winner, who has been placed at the top level, while another half-sister Sistercharlie won a remarkable seven Grade 1 races.

Yahagi then backed up his multimillion-dollar purchase with a second well-related colt, paying €560,000 (77 million yen/AU$806,000) for a son of Kingman (GB) from the family of Arc winner Waldgeist.

Lot 183 is the son of the Group 2-placed Waldjagd (GB) and half-siblings include stakes winners Waldbiene and Urwald, while G1 Deutsches Derby winner Waldpark and 2019 Arc winner Waldgeist also feature on the page.

Another colt closely connected to an Arc winner had sold just prior, with the Intello half-brother to dual Arc heroine Treve, Lot 171, fetching €260,000 (AU$375,000) to the bid of Al Shaqab Racing.

 

More Mischief for Japanese buyers in Saratoga