Barton Stud set to make its Arqana August debut

Tom Blain of Barton Stud is looking forward to debuting at the sale and explains to Jocelyn de Moubray why he decided to offer a couple of yearlings in France

THIS YEAR the main August Sale has 325 horses catalogued and the follow-up V2 Sale another 189. One difference compared with recent editions is the number of yearlings presented by foreign studs under their own name.

The August Sale has 47 catalogued, 15 per cent of the total, the largest number and proportion since well before covid. The foreign vendors includes Gestüt Ammerland’s last-ever draft, as well as sizeable numbers from regular consignors such as Ballylinch Stud, Baroda Stud and Camas Park Stud.

Amongst newcomers is Barton Stud, whose first August draft includes a Sea The Stars filly from the family of the recent Grand Prix de Paris winner Sosie, and a colt by Havana Grey.

“It is,” explains Tom Blain, manager of the British Bury St Edmonds-based farm, “a toe in the water but if it works out I can see us going to Arqana more often in the future.

“This is a sale which is going places, and Arqana attracts a great buying bench to the sale. At Barton we are looking to grow our business and so it makes sense to have a position in all of the available markets.

“They are two high-quality yearlings who could have sold anywhere, but who I felt would be particularly well suited to the August Sale.”

Lot 107 is a Sea The Stars filly, the first foal of Dhabyah who was rated 91 when winning her maiden as a three-year-old for William Haggas.

This is the family of Sacarina, which has produced the Derby winners Samum, Schiaparelli, Sea The Moon and Goldenas, the Diana winner Salve Regina and now one of the best three-yearolds in France, Sosie, a son of Sea The Stars and the winner of this year’s Grand Prix de Paris (G1).

Like Barton’s Sea The Stars filly, Sosie’s third dam is Sacarina, who produced several daughters by Monsun including Sanwa, the dam of Sea The Moon, as well as Sahel and Sola Gratia, the second dams of Sosie and Barton’s filly.

“‘Yes, I enjoyed watching the Grand Prix de Paris very much!” laughs Blain. “Not only is this a top-class middle-distance family, but Dhabyah is a daughter of Australia who is beginning to make a mark as a broodmare sire, too.”

Barton also offers Lot 82, a Havana Grey colt who was purchased as a foal at the Tattersalls December Sale.

“He is,” outlines Blain, “one of the best-bred sons of Havana Grey from this crop [the Whitsbury Manor sire’s fourth when he was standing at £6,000]

“He comes from the family of the Group 1 winners Marsha, Ribbons and Soviet Song. He is a good-looking, forward type who I think could stand out in the August Sale.”

The Havana Grey colt out of Bubbly is one of only two by his sire in the catalogue.

Looking ahead to the whole European sales season Barton will consign somewhere between 80 and 90 yearlings.

“Around half of these were raised and will be prepped on the farm,” Blain says, “but most of the others are prepared at home by our clients with our help and supervision.

“I visit regularly and they are free to contact our team if they have any questions or need any help. It is a system which works well and which suits both our clients and the farm itself.

“For the future the aim is always to raise the quality of the mares on the farm and the horses we consign for sale. We want to do everything possible to breed, raise and sell as many good ones as possible.”