french bloodstock
Vive la France! Jocelyn de Moubray runs his eye over the leading French-based stallions, discusses the French prize-money increases for 2022, as well as the strong Arqana sales through 2021, clearly benefiting from the impact of Brexit
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HE MODERN BLOODSTOCK BUSINESS revolves around stallions. The ability to cover up to 300 mares a year in each hemisphere produces an international market for their services that has given the best sires, or at least the most popular, a value which dwarfs the remainder of the business. Take the example of the Aga Khan Stud’s sire Zarak. He started 2021 covering at €12,000 and, despite his pedigree and Group 1 success, would have been only vaguely familiar to most bloodstock professionals outside France. A year later, after 18 of his first crop of two-year-olds had won a race, Zarak was suddenly valued by international investors at somewhere around €19 million! Two 1/50th shares in the son of Dubawi and Zarkava were sold by Arqana in November and December 2021 for €350,000 and €380,000. A spectacular appreciation and creation of wealth for shareholders in the horse.
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German and Irish vendors enjoyed huge success at Deauville in December, as well as at the earlier yearling sales, and their number is set to increase over the coming years
And, of course, the market values Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, two earlier French sire sensations, higher still.
Impact of Brexit and COVID to French racing and Arqana’s gain France’s racing and bloodstock business has been transformed by sires such as these, but at the same time there have been other positive developments outside the direct control of the bloodstock world. Few industry players fully appreciated the benefits of the European Single Market until Britain decided to withdraw from it. A year later all breeders with an international outlook have had to learn of the extra costs this decision has brought to those trading with Britain. Inevitably many in Ireland and Germany have switched some of their business from Britain to France and Ireland. German and Irish vendors enjoyed huge success in Deauville in December, as well as at the earlier yearling sales, and their number is set
