‘We’ve worked incredibly hard to get here’ - meet the new consignors bringing a forward-thinking approach to selling

Any bloodstock aficionado who has ventured on to social media in the last few months will have almost certainly come across the sleek, gavel-embellished branding of Consign. This week the operation moves out of the online world and into the auction ring, with its debut draft being offered at the Tattersalls July Sale.

The outfit is the brainchild of Harriet Jones and Chloe Battam, who are aiming to utilise a blend of youth and experience to deliver a modern approach to selling bloodstock. The team are set for a busy start as their draft includes 17 horses spread across the first two sessions. 

The offering includes 13 horses in training from the likes of Amy Murphy, Karl Burke and John O’Donoghue, as well as owners Nick Bradley and the Pompey Ventures syndicate. Those with arguably the most compelling credentials are James Horton’s lightly raced winner Extra Beat (lot 333), along with Currumbin (449) and Washeek (403), both of whom have shown promise for O’Donoghue and Burke respectively. 

There are also four mares, including two in foal to leading first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev. One of those, Elusive Truth (58), is a sister to Listed-winning Elusive Beauty and from the immediate family of recent Prince of Wales's Stakes runner-up Zarakem. The size of the draft has already exceeded expectations, as Jones and Battam set ten entries as their initial target. 

“We’re absolutely delighted – and a bit overwhelmed – with all the support we’ve received,” said Jones. “We’re very lucky to have been so well supported. I’ve worked with Karl Burke and Nick Bradley for a long time and luckily they’ve been big supporters. We’re also consigning for John and Jodi O’Donoghue, who train in Ireland and are good friends. 

“Starting a business is never easy and it's been a lot of work to get to where we are now. We do everything in-house, we’ve visited all the yards we’re selling for, and I’ve ridden some of the horses out as well. We’re really excited and looking forward to getting going and it’ll be a special moment seeing the first one enter the ring. We’ve worked incredibly hard to get here and I hope it shows in the draft we’re offering.” 

Battam added that the backing the pair have received has helped to offset any inevitable presale nerves. 

“Everyone has been so nice and supportive that it’s made it easier to get excited,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of nice feedback, people saying everything looks professional, and it makes a big difference going into it feeling like you’ve got that support behind you. 

“From January onwards its been head down, working until ten o’clock at night for seven days a week making sure everything is done properly. We haven’t cut any corners and I’m over the moon to have so many horses. Obviously it’s a little bit nerve-racking but I’m excited at the same time. 

"It’ll be a relief to get the horses in the ring and selling because we don’t want to let anyone down. That’s the main thing this week, we want to make sure we do a good job for the people who’ve supported us.”   

This filly by Massaat will be first through the ring for Consign as Lot 8Credit: Consign

It has been almost 12 months to the day that Jones and Battam first met, as the introduction that led to Consign’s establishment took place at last year’s July Sale. 

“We met at this sale last year so it’s quite a moment to be back here a year later with our own consignment,” said Jones. “I’d had the idea of starting a consignment and had thought about revamping the way things are marketed. Chloe has a marketing background and had very similar ideas about what she’d like to do, so we thought it would be great to do it together.” 

The process of bringing thoroughbreds to auction has, for the most part, remained virtually unchanged for decades. While horses will always have to go under the hammer – be that physically or online – Consign’s main point of difference is the way clients are engaged before each lot reaches the ring. 

Digital solutions are being employed to bring consigning into the 21st century; an app, which will house all the relevant details about each horse they are offering, is under development, while social media’s increasing influence is being utilised. The forward-thinking approach is further illustrated by the creation of a QR code that can be scanned at the July Sale consignment to access a whole range of additional information about the draft. 

“I’ve attended the sales on a regular basis and felt there was an opportunity to enhance the current approach,” said Jones. “Realistically, people aren’t going to be walking around with a paper catalogue in five years’ time, so that’s the direction we’re moving in. 

"For this sale we’ve created a QR code you scan at the consignment and it takes you directly to a page with all the horse’s notes, quotes from the trainer, additional pictures and videos of the horses cantering. It’s giving potential purchasers an added insight into the horse’s background.” 

Despite being among the younger names in the consigning ranks, Battam and Jones have already amassed a diverse range of industry experience. 

Jones, 36, was born into a family with strong ties to racing, being a granddaughter of Epsom trainer ‘Muddy’ King. She spent 14 years in a variety of roles with Karl Burke, which gave her hands-on experience with Group 1 winners such as Havana Grey, Laurens and Quiet Reflection. 

Washeek: has shown promise for Karl Burke and sells through Consign as Lot 403Credit: Consign

She also spent two years working with breeze-up consignor Mark Grant, including the season that the upwardly mobile operation prepped and sold dual Royal Ascot winner Bradsell. Jones also works as a bloodstock agent and attracted headlines earlier this year when she signed for First Ambition, the first foal out of Laurens, at 42,000gns during the Tattersalls Guineas Sale. 

Battam started out in the industry at Jamie Lloyd’s pre-training operation before moving on to roles in the Darley marketing office and a two-year stint as assistant to Jamie Railton, where she gained invaluable insight into the work that goes into running a sizeable consignment. The 25-year-old has ridden out for Sir Mark Prescott for the last seven years, and also runs her own marketing and social media company. 

The connections the pair have made from their previous roles have already helped them overcome one of the biggest challenges most consignors face: finding staff. 

“Between us we’ve got lots of friends and know plenty of good people in the industry,” said Battam. “We’ve had to turn down a lot of people who were putting their hands up saying they wanted to come and work for us. We’ve got a team of six really good staff coming to work with us at Tattersalls. And when it comes to consigning, having a good team makes such a difference.” 

Consign also offers a service that deals with all the heavy lifting that goes on behind the scenes before vendors can bring their horses to public auction. As well as selling their own draft at the July Sale, they have been involved in working on the sizeable offering Richard Fahey is bringing from his Musley Bank Stables in Malton. 

“We’ve organised all of Richard’s draft, so things like arranging staff, documentation, notes for the lads showing, pictures and videos,” said Battam. “We want to make it as easy as possible for a trainer to go and sell their horses. Trainers are struggling with staff as it is, so having to send a load to a sale for a few days isn’t ideal. This is another option for people who still want to sell under their own banner, but we can come in and give them a hand.” 

Looking ahead, the Consign pair are hoping to build on the solid foundations laid down ahead of their sales ring debut. With the yearling sales just around the corner, there could hardly be a better time to build on their early momentum. 

“We’re hoping to keep expanding, keep getting lots of support and growing all the time,” said Jones. “We’ve already taken a good few entries for the yearling sales, and we’re still taking entries at the moment. We’re hoping to be offering a draft at every sale going forward.” 

Tattersalls July Sale factfile

Where Park Paddocks, Newmarket

When Three-day sale begins on Tuesday, with sessions starting at 9.30am (Thursday post-racing session scheduled for 5.45pm start) 

Last year’s stats From 635 offered, 574 lots sold (90 per cent) for turnover of 16,986,000gns (up one per cent), an average of 29,590gns (down eight per cent) and median of 15,000gns (no change)

Notable graduates Adelaise (sold by The Castlebridge Consignment, bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 75,000gns); Bumbasina (sold by Rathbride Stables, bought by Astute Bloodstock for 75,000gns); Queenofthefairies (sold by Ecurie Henri-Alex Pantall, bought by Tally-Ho Stud for 32,000gns); Regional (sold by Musley Bank Stables, bought by Bethell Racing and Blandford Bloodstock for 3,500gns)

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