A Champion Racehorse Experience

September 2019

Our racing journey continued in August, as the team and special guests travelled across the channel for the weekend, to discover the world of champion racehorse ownership in Deauville, France.

This exciting event was part of our summer celebration of our new landmark development, No. 1 Palace Street, bringing “The Palace Neighbour” experience to life.

Our party flew to France onboard a pristine fleet of Pilatus PC-12 jets, courtesy of private aviation experts Jetfly; touching-down in style in the picturesque town of Deauville, situated on the Normandy coast.

We were joined by our expert racing hosts, bloodstock specialist Hubie de Burgh and champion trainer Richard Hannon, as the day’s unique tour of how champion racehorses are bred, sourced and trained began with an exclusive tour of the Aga Khan’s prestigious Haras de Bonneval Stud.

The Haras de Bonneval stud is the largest of the Aga Khan Studs in France – which are famed for the breeding of racing champion horses for over 50 years and now cover over 1330 acres of finest Normandy pasture. The Haras de Bonneval stud’s 265 acres are home to some of the most prized horses in the world, including famed stallions Siyouni, Dariyan, Zarak and Charm Spirit. The tour gave Northacre and guests a unique insight into the world of champion racehorse breeding at the highest level, including the exciting opportunity to meet the champion (and very lively!) stallion Siyouni – and hear about how his unique lineage is making racing history around the world.

Next stop on our tour was the Deauville-La Touques Racecourse, for an afternoon of exciting sport, bringing to life the knowledge and history we had just experienced during the stud tour. In the afternoon our party then joined the day’s most hotly anticipated event – the Arqana August Yearling Sale. During sale time the town of Deauville lives and breathes racing, and the August sale is no different – attracting the racing elite from around the world, to bid on the next generation of champion thoroughbreds.

The Arqana August Sale is a feast for the senses. Throughout the exciting sale experience our party were hosted by expert auctioneers Arqana, who provided exclusive access and insights into the exciting process of racehorse purchasing and selling. The atmosphere of the event is certainly something to behold, with some of our guests getting in on the action – a beautiful chestnut colt caught the eye of our racing experts Hubie de Burgh and Richard Hannon and we’re pleased to report he is now enjoying the English countryside and progressing well at Richard’s beautiful training facility.

We will be keeping our eyes peeled for this champion of tomorrow!

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