New Batsford boys bring fresh impetus and good value to Gloucestershire stud
Kitty Trice speaks to Tim Varey of Batsford Stud about Aclaim and Kew Gardens
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On this occasion, Kitty Trice speaks to Batsford Stud's Tim Varey about newcomers Aclaim and Kew Gardens – subscribers can get more great insight every Monday to Friday.
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Batsford Stud should be in for an exciting 2025 with the addition of two new stallions to their roster.
Step forward 2017 Prix de la Foret winner Aclaim, now a Classic-winning sire, and Kew Gardens, winner of the 2018 St Leger and a son of Galileo with his first crop of three-year-olds to run next year.
Aclaim, whose seven career wins for the Martyn Meade yard also included the Group 2 Park Stakes and Challenge Stakes, has been introduced to breeders by Batsford for what looks an extremely reasonable £3,000, having arrived from Meade’s Manton Park, where he stood two seasons for £10,000 (2023) and £8,000 (2024).
Before that, the son of the late Acclamation had started his stallion career at the National Stud in 2018, at a fee of £12,500. He spent five covering seasons there in total.
His second career has already seen him taste Group 1 success through his admirably tough daughter Cachet, winner of the 2022 1,000 Guineas and a head second to Mangoustine in the French equivalent just 14 days later.
The Highclere-owned and George Boughey-trained filly had started that year with victory in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, and had placed third behind Inspiral in the Fillies’ Mile the previous season.
On how Aclaim came to arrive at Batsford, the team’s Tim Varey says: “We’re lucky to know some really nice people in the industry who always fly our flag for us. In this case it was Tim Lane, and Tim has always looked after us over the years with some really nice stallions.
“He was approached by Dermot Farrington, who owns Aclaim, as to where he should stand him in 2025 and Tim sent him in our direction.”
Aclaim has sired some other smart sorts besides Cachet, including Listed Rockingham Stakes winner and Group 3 Molecomb Stakes second Purosangue, and Listed City Walls Stakes scorer Royal Aclaim, also runner-up in the Group 3 Summer Stakes.
Given those results, there is every reason to think his new fee represents excellent value in an increasingly polarised market and against a backdrop of a challenging economic environment.
Varey says of the 11-year-old’s reception: “His arrival has gone down really well with breeders because I think they’re looking for some value, particularly in the current climate.
“We sat down and thought we needed to help the breeders as best we can, with some really nice stallions at affordable prices which leaves enough room for them to make some profit or have enough money in the kitty to carry on in training.”
Aclaim has taken well to his new abode and has the temperament to go alongside his ability, according to the team.
Varey reports: “He’s settled in really well and is strutting around the stud like he owns the place already and he’s been here only five minutes! He’s a super horse to look after and anyone could go in and do anything with him; he’s got a very nice temperament.”
The second new arrival, Kew Gardens, should also represent a good opportunity for breeders at the same fee of £3,000.
For Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien, Kew Gardens also won the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris before his St Leger heroics, and was, additionally, a Listed winner as a two-year-old and conqueror of Stradivarius in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on British Champion Day at Ascot on his swansong.
Kew Gardens has headed east having stood at Castle Hyde Stud for the first four seasons of his stallion career, which he commenced at €5,000, and he arrives with the good looks to match his fine race record.
Varey says: “He’s a lovely son of Galileo with really nice conformation too and obviously he’s got the form to back that up. He won the Leger and beat the mighty Stradivarius as well.
“He had a lot of mares in his first couple of seasons at Coolmore and they were really happy with the mares he got. It’s going to be really exciting to watch his progeny in the future.”
Batsford stalwart Passing Glance embarks on his ninth season with the Gloucestershire stud at an unchanged £3,000, and the son of Polar Falcon has deservedly gained a sizeable fan base for his services over the years.
He turns 26 in a few weeks’ time but his progeny continue to go great guns.
They include last season’s Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle winner Strong Leader, who returned last month to plunder the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, while Grade 1 Ascot Chase victor Dashel Drasher continues to ply his trade with plenty of enthusiasm despite rising 12.
Coincidently, Jeremy Scott’s popular gelding won the previous year’s Long Distance Hurdle, while he was also second in the 2023 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Those two, alongside Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' Chase scorer Millers Bank and Flat Group 1 winner Side Glance, show what using Passing Glance can get you.
Varey says fondly: “He’s getting on a bit now but he still bounces around the place like he’s two! He’s looking really, really well and he’s keeping the guys on their toes in the yard. We’re looking forward to another good season with him next year.
“He’ll cover as many as can be, he’s fit and healthy, while his fertility was really good last year. We’ll keep going with him for as long as he remains in fine fettle.”
The four-strong roster is completed by another long-time resident, Swiss Spirit, a son of Invincible Spirit who in 2025 will embark on his seventh covering season at Batsford.
Standing for £1,000, from £2,000 this year, his haul is headed by Listed winners Tees Spirit and One Night Stand, while Elite Status has done his bit for Swiss Spirit’s broodmare sire record this term, winning the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes and Listed Carnarvon Stakes from four black-type wins overall.
Varey says: “We’ve decided to reduce his fee for next year and think he’s extremely good value for a sprint stallion. He’s consistently getting winners and has a few black-type horses too. He does really well.”
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Must-read story
“It’s rare to get the chance to buy a mare like this,” says MV Magnier as Coolmore team up with a new partnership to acquire Arqana record-breaker Sparkling Plenty at €5,000,000.
Pedigree pick
The well-bred Damysus lines up for Wathnan Racing and John and Thady Gosden in division two of the 7f novice stakes at Southwell (7.30) on Tuesday.
A son of Frankel, the juvenile cost Blandford Bloodstock 460,000gns from Newsells Park Stud at Tattersalls Book 1 last year. He is the 11th foal out of Legerete, a Rahy mare whose career haul included the Group 2 Prix de Malleret for Andre Fabre and owner-breeders the Wertheimer brothers. She was also Group 1-placed when third in both the Prix Marcel Boussac and Prix de l’Opera.
The 20-year-old has been a fine producer at stud too, with her brood headed by Listed Prix Matchem winner Pilote, a son of Pivotal who was also second in the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano.
Another progeny, the Dansili-sired Esquisse, landed the Listed Prix de Bagatelle, while Siyouni’s daughter Femina picked up black type when placed in the Listed Prix Ceres.
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