In the right Spirit

A foal by Qatar Bloodstock stallion Charm Spirit (pictured right) maintained his sire's good recent run of sales results at yesterday's second session of Arqana's breeding stock sale.

Offered by Haras D'Etreham, the colt foal was knocked down for €48,000 to B.S.I.nv/T Lohest born in March and a son of the Halling mare Save Me The Waltz, he was a half-brother to the Listed winner and Group Three-placed Dealbata and to two other winners.

Foals from the first crop of Charm Spirit - who was a triple Group One winner - have been selling for an average well above his stallion fee, which for 2017 when he will stand at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire will be £20,000 (Oct 1, SLF). To the end of last week he had been represented by 26 foals in the ring, and they had changed hands for an average of £51,289 and a median of £39,524.

Funds to help the retraining of racehorses in France are the focus of charity Au Dela des Pistes. On Friday it benefited from an auction of stallion nominations which raised €285,500. A nomination to Charm Spirit, offered by Qatar Racing and Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, was sold for €25,000 to the FBA's Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet.