Making the leap as a sole trader in this industry is not for the faint-hearted, especially against a market backdrop that is as challenging as today’s. Yet the beauty of the bloodstock world is that opportunity tends to reward hard work and passion. Working with bloodstock is not a job but a way of life and there are countless example of those who embrace that notion moving up the ladder to become leaders of their field.
The world of consigning has welcomed a number of young and ambitious people to the fold over the past few years, all of them already well known on the sales circuit but brave enough to dive in as individual operators. As the yearling sales circuit gets into full swing, we spoke with some of them to discuss how their season has unfolded to date and their hopes for the future.
ALICE O’BRIEN and BRADLEY WOOD; ASHBROOKE STUD
It was following a chat with Paul Thorman of Trickledown Stud that Alice O’Brien and Bradley Wood struck out on their own as Ashbrooke Stud in early 2020 and with several successful pinhooks in the books and a strong work ethic, the pair haven’t looked back.
Based near Bishop Auckland in County Durham, the stud sold its first draft of foals at last year’s Tattersalls December Sale highlighted by a 92,000gns colt by Havana Grey. They have since enjoyed a successful first foray into the Goffs Premier Sale market as the vendor of a £60,000 homebred Sergei Prokofiev filly and having sold stock to trainers such as John Quinn, Hugo Palmer and Marcus Tregoning at the subsequent Tattersalls Somerville Sale, are set to return to Park Paddocks this month with a select draft for the Tattersalls October Books 2 and 3 Sales.
“We have both been involved in racing for some time now,” explains Alice O’Brien. “Bradley started off as a boy riding out for local trainers on weekends and during school holidays. He’s always been very aware of the bloodstock side of things and credits a lot of his education to former trainers Karen McLintock and her partner Don Eddy, who were both very shrewd judges and great buyers of a horse. He’s been fortunate enough to spend time with some fantastic dual-purpose trainers including Howard Johnson, who he still assists to this day with his bloodstock.
“I started off with ponies at a young age and grew up on a show pony stud. I was lucky enough to show ponies all over the UK and found racing and bloodstock a little later whilst at university. I spent my spare time and mornings before lectures working for Alan McCabe when he was based at Averham Park, and that’s when the bug really got me. We had some lovely horses then including Caspar Netscher, who won the Gimcrack, Mill Reef and Greenham Stakes.”
As anyone who has caught the racing bug will say, the next step is generally to acquire stock of your own. And in that, Alice and Bradley are no different.
“We were brave – or stupid – in the beginning and decided to give pinhooking a go,” says Alice. “We clubbed together some savings and bought our first foal to resell as a yearling. The rest is history! It spiralled out of control!”
Bradley adds: “In the beginning we sold our stock under Paul and Sara Thorman’s Trickledown Stud banner. They have been fantastic to us – you really couldn’t ask for better people to turn to when you need advice. We were at the point where we’d accumulated one or two client horses along with a couple of weanlings of our own that we’d rear each year. PT pretty much said to us that it was a case of ‘putting ourselves fully in the game, or taking ourselves out of it’. We chose to put ourselves in it!”
That leap came at a challenging time during the first Covid lockdown in the spring of 2020. But it says a lot for the pair’s ambition that it never deterred them and four years on, they have the clients and stock to show for it.
“I wouldn’t say it’s been easy,” says Bradley. “It’s never easy when you can’t afford to go and buy the foals you really want, or cover your mares with Frankel or Dubawi. We’ve had to chip away in the very difficult lower end of things and try to strike lucky along the way, which we have been fortunate enough to do a couple of times now.”
Alice adds: “We sold a cracking Havana Grey colt for 92,000gns to Tally-Ho at last year’s Tattersalls December Foal Sale. That was a lovely day but getting £60,000 for our homebred Sergei Prokofiev yearling filly at the Premier Sale was equally as special considering we chose to buy her back as a foal for just 15,000gns. Bradley was especially fond of her and had great belief she would make up into a real nice individual this year and he wasn’t wrong. She went to great people in James and Jacko Fanshawe and she’s one we are both very proud off. Fingers crossed for her next year!”
CHRIS GILLON; GILLON BLOODSTOCK
Chris Gillon is well known from his time as stud manager for the late Duke of Roxburghe at his Floors Stud near Kelso.
Gillon was at the helm of the stud’s final Tattersalls October Sale draft in 2020. The Duke, a real racing enthusiast best remembered as the owner-breeder of champion Attraction, had died the previous summer and 18 months later it was announced that a partial dispersal would take place and Gillon would continue to operate on the estate under his own steam. In the meantime, in a testament to the Duke’s pedigrees and team assembled at Floors, that final October Book 1 draft went on to average over 630,000gns and include a 2,100,000gns son of Dubawi.
Having sold at various sales as Gillon Bloodstock since then, Gillon returns to Book 1 this year under his own name with a Palace Pier filly who is closely related to Classic winners Magna Grecia and St Mark’s Basilica.
“I rode in point-to-points in my younger days and have mostly always been around horses,” he says. “My first jump into the breeding side of things was in 2013 when I came to Floors Stud to cover maternity and luckily they kept me on. I worked up from stud hand to stud manager,
“It was in the thick of Covid when I launched my own business, which was always going to make things very tricky. The current Duke of Roxburgh was fully supportive of my venture, which made things easier, and helped at every opportunity to get us going. These things take time but I have managed to bring in some very good owners and having a stud already established and so well set up by the late Duke of Roxburgh in such a stunning setting helped.”
There was a major early reward for one of those supporters not long after in the sale of a New Bay colt for 325,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale. That day naturally ranks as one of the highlights but there is now the scope to eclipse that with this month’s return to Book 1.
“The New Bay colt was produced for some local owner breeders and that gave us great satisfaction,” says Gillon. “Equally as important is that we are at Book 1 this year for the first time under my own banner, which is good sign as we all strive for quality over quantity and the yearling is a filly who has been raised on the farm.”
Gillon has seen plenty of the industry during his time at Floors – so what advice would he give anyone looking to work in the bloodstock world?
“There are some fantastic courses available,” he says. “It makes sense to go and do these courses and get an idea of the industry. That will help you get an idea of which direction you want to take.”
CHLOE BATTAM and HARRIET JONES: CONSIGN LTD
The brainchild of Chloe Battam and Harriet Jones, Consign Ltd burst on to the scene at the Tattersalls July Sale with a debut draft of 13 horses. Since then, they have dipped into the yearling market with representation at the Goffs Premier Sale, where their consignment turned over £110,000, and the Tattersalls Somerville Sale. Next up is the Arqana Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud and with it the opportunity to sell Kaadi, a high-class sprinter backed up a good pedigree.
Thus its been quite the first year of operation for Battam and Jones but one that is also the result of years of ambition and work.
“Although my family were terrified of horses, I grew up riding friends’ ponies and spent every weekend with them,” says Battam. “After my mum passed away when I was 12, my grandparents bought me a pony, which I hunted and show-jumped. Looking back, it was probably to keep me out of trouble!
“At 16, I stumbled into the horse racing industry by chance, taking a part-time job at Far Westfield Farm with Jamie Lloyd while in college. Jamie got me riding yearlings, and even though I fell off almost daily, I always got back up, quickly learning the value of a neck strap! That experience gave me the racing bug, which led me to pursue a degree in International Horse Racing Business at Hartpury University. During my time there, I worked in a racing-focused marketing office, rode out for a local trainer daily and spent summers with Sir Mark Prescott in Newmarket.
“After graduating, I returned to Newmarket to work for Sir Mark full-time before spending a year in the marketing department at Darley and Godolphin. I then joined Jamie Railton as his assistant, where I gained hands-on experience managing large consignments.”
Harriet was exposed to racing at an even earlier age and gained her experience through time with trainer Karl Burke and breeze-up vendor Mark Grant.
“I spent many years working with Karl Burke, where I had the privilege of working with some outstanding horses including Laurens and Havana Grey,” she says. “Karl has been a huge influence on my career, not only being a world class trainer but someone who also buys his own yearlings and sources his own stock. Spending many years working alongside him from both the racing and bloodstock side has provided me with invaluable experience. This ignited my passion to become more involved in the bloodstock industry.”
She adds: “I’ve been fortunate enough to work at sales worldwide and I also had two incredible seasons with breeze-up consignor Mark Grant, including the unforgettable experience of prepping and selling multiple Group 1 winner Bradsell. Working with Mark was a huge learning opportunity, and it was during this time – while regularly attending sales – that I recognised an opportunity to enhance the current approach to consigning. This led to the idea of founding Consign.”
Considering how quickly it has gained a foothold, the idea for Consign Ltd actually took relatively little time to come to fruition.
“After meeting for the first time in July last year and discussing the idea of setting up a consignment, the decision to leave full-time work and start the project felt like a natural step,” says Battam. “We shared a clear vision for what we wanted to contribute to the industry, saw a gap in the market for what we wanted to offer and had confidence in our abilities to make it happen.
“It took six months to turn our idea and business plan into what we delivered at the Tattersalls July Sale. While it may of been challenging at times with the scale of the task, we dedicated every spare moment to ensuring everything was done right. Even with Harriet working the breeze-up sale in Hong Kong, taking calls at odd hours, we were committed to making it happen. It wasn’t easy – starting any business never is – but with a lot of hard work, we’re really pleased with where we are and grateful for the support we’ve received.”
She adds: “Opportunities won’t just come to you – if you’re interested in a specific area of the industry, don’t hesitate to ask and get involved. Many people in racing are eager to help and welcome those who want to learn.
“Work hard, seek advice and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and guidance available from experienced professionals. Keep learning and never limit yourself to just one role – there’s plenty of space to grow and explore different aspects of the sport!”
HETTY SPENCER: SPENCER SALES
A whirlwind debut for Hetty Spencer’s Spencer Sales has already taken in the Goffs Premier, BBAG September and Tattersalls Somerville Sales, all in the space of less than two weeks.
But then of course the sales beat is second nature to Spencer given the time she spent as head of sales for Jamie Railton and as part of the sales team for Con Marnane’s Bansha House Stables. That in turn has ensured that Spencer is a well known and respected face on the circuit, all of which has understandably aided her transition to solo operator.
“My mum and dad had a keen interest in racing and were owner-breeders on a small scale,” she says. “I grew up in Bury St Edmunds and being based near Newmarket was a help.
“I think it was always inevitable that I was going to get into the industry – I was always on the back of a horse or around them somehow. I showed competitively to a high grade up to my late 20’s and then working at the sales took over.”
Spencer’s grounding runs deep given she spent 12 years as part of the Jamie Railton sales team. Such a lengthy tenure, however, also made the decision to fly solo more difficult.
“Taking a leap like is always going to be hard,” she says. “But it was really hard leaving Jamie. I was his head of sales and I loved that job. His former head, Sarah, had been very helpful when I started, she helped train me to do that job and I was always very comfortable doing it. But as much as I loved it, I needed a new challenge. So I decided to take the plunge and set out a plan that after helping Con and Amy [Marnane] at the breeze-ups in the spring, I would then go out on my own.”
Spencer Sales made its yearling sales debut at the Goffs Premier Sale and then in a sign of international ambition, headed to Germany where a select draft included a €50,000 son of Study Of Man sold to Liberty Racing. Next up is the Goffs Orby Sale, where colts by Blue Point and Space Blues will be offered, before a return to Newmarket for Books 2 and 3 of the October Sale. Another sale at BBAG beckons after that before the winter breeding stock sales kick in.
“I never thought that I would be selling at so many different sales in such a short space of time,” she says. “I have a lot of people to thank for that, not just the owners but the people who have helped me set up. I’ve had a lot of help along the way and I’m very thankful for that.”
Amid all this, Newmarket-based Spencer can still often be found on the back of a horse.
“When I’m not at the sales, I ride out for George Boughey in the mornings and then help a few of the pre-trainers after that,” she says. “I’m always doing something!”
Question Time
What have you made of the market so far?
“Fickle, unforgiving and blinkered. The bottom end has completely gone. The £10-20,000 yearling is almost impossible to sell and the £20-50,000 yearling has far fewer friends than usual. What can we really expect though? Look at the money missing from the market this year already. Johnny McKeever spent half a million in Doncaster last year with not a single purchase made thus far in 2024. John Dance spent six million on yearlings in 2022, which is obviously missing going forward. The breeze-up boys overall got a kicking back in the spring. These things leave scars on the yearling market and as vendors we have to ride it out. Who knows, it might mean we might not struggle to buy a nice foal this year.” Bradley Wood, Ashbrooke Farm
“It seems to be very tricky from the middle down. You either have it or you don’t, there is not a lot in the middle.” Chris Gillon, Gillon Bloodstock
“Trade at the horses-in-training sales remained strong, bolstered by the presence of international buyers. The yearling market supply seemed to exceed demand, especially the middle and bottom end of the market. Despite the challenges so far, there are still plenty of positives to be taken.” Chloe Battam and Harriet Jones, Consign Ltd
“I did Donny, Somerville and BBAG back to back and it was the same – top horses sold well but it’s tougher further down. It’s tough for all of us whether we’re consignors or breeders. It’s about riding the waves at the moment.” Hetty Spencer, Spencer Sales
How can we attract more young people into the sport?
“I think we need to celebrate the occasion more. The glamour of summer Flat racing should be exaggerated and the romance of National Hunt racing should equally be brought to the fore. It’s all about the experience for me and that goes for attracting new owners too. We need to crack down on admission prices and we certainly need to be looking at things like drinks prices. £7 for a pint in a plastic glass just isn’t ok – if Wetherspoons can sell it in a real glass for £1.99, there really isn’t an excuse is there?” Bradley Wood
“I think the sport needs to showcase that you can come into this industry from nothing and from any background. But with ambition and dedication, the opportunities are limitless in this fast-paced industry. Racing is starting to move forward and adapt with the times so there is plenty of opportunities for fresh minds and perspectives to keep driving the industry forward for the next generation.” Chloe Battam and Harriet Jones
“I think it’s great what the racecourses are doing in trying to get more young people interested, like getting school children to the races and meeting the jockeys. Having someone like Oisin Murphy doing those demonstrations is brilliant. But I think more can be done, especially when it comes to the sales and the breeding side. Perhaps we could get them into the sales, show them how it’s done and how many sales there are.” Hetty Spencer
Give us a horse to look out for at the sales this year
“I have a lovely Palace Pier filly going to the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale out of Prance, a half-sister to [Classic winners] St Mark’s Basilica and Magna Grecia. She has lots of quality, good size and walks well. Prance boards with us and was owned by the late Duke of Roxburgh in partnership with Newbyth Stud.” Chris Gillon
“We have a nice colt by first-season sire Nando Parrado heading to Tattersalls October Book 2. He’s out of an Exceed And Excel mare and is a half-brother to a Royal Ascot winner in Lola Showgirl [winner of the Kensington Palace Stakes]. He has a very sharp brain and has taken to his lunging very well, he moves for fun and I’d like to think he has every chance of being a proper horse.” Alice O’Brien
“We’re thrilled to be selling at the Arqana Arc Sale on October 5. Our entry, Lot 47, Kaadi, is a black-type performer with three Listed placings and a recent runner-up finish in the Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg for Karl Burke. A half-sister to Group 3 winner Happy Together, she comes from the illustrious family of Group 1 winners Phoenix Reach and Carroll House.
“After Paris, we head straight to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales, where we’ll be offering 19 yearlings across Book 2 to Book 4. We’re incredibly grateful for all the support and look forward to another exciting sale!” Chloe Battam and Harriet Jones
“It’s all systems go for the rest of the season. I’m excited to be heading to Goffs with some nice horses by fashionable sires. Then I’m going back to BBAG for its October Sale with a Nathaniel colt who is closely related to Jean-Claude Rouget’s Prix Jean Prat winner Puchkine. I’ve also got some good foals going to Goffs and Tattersalls including a three-parts sister to Sosie [winner of the Prix Niel]. He’s now favourite for the Arc so I’ll be cheering him on from afar.” Hetty Spencer