OVERBURY STALLIONS

A Derby winner and a few champion sires

The Holland Martin family, which owns the Overbury Estate, established Overbury Stud shortly before the Second World War. Benefitting from free-draining sandy soil and a mild climate which is so important to this fruit-growing area of the Vale of Evesham, Overbury Stud encountered success quickly: the Coventry Stakes of 1952 was won by the Overbury-bred Whistler, who went on to be a Champion sire of two-year-olds. He was a son of foundation mare Farthing Damages, whose Overbury-bred descendants also include Cork & Orrery and Prix Maurice de Geest winner College Chapel, who later became Europe's leading first season sire; his dam the speedy King George V Stakes winner Scarcely Blessed; and his grandam, the exceptional Parsimony who won the July Cup and the Cork & Orrery. Globetrotting German-trained multiple G1 winner Caitano and the Nunthorpe and Prix de l'Abbaye winner Tower Walk (who also ran second in the 2,000 Guineas) are other top-class racehorses bred at Overbury Stud, which also became famous for producing big-priced commercial yearlings at the Houghton Sales of the 1970s and '80s. The stud's greatest ever son, however, was sold for the relatively modest sum of 27,000 gns: Grundy, Horse of the Year in 1975 and winner of the Derby (by three lengths), the Dewhurst (by six lengths), and a legendary King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, in which he defeated Bustino in course record time.

At the turn of the new millennium, the Holland Martin family leased Overbury Stud to Simon Sweeting who launched Overbury Stallions Ltd and, under his management, the Stud has grown a reputation for standing stallions. The Champion stayer Kayf Tara, who retired to Overbury Stud in 2001, was joined by the leading sprinter Bertolini in 2002. Both Darley-owned stallions were keenly priced, have been extremely well supported and have become spectacularly successful. Bertolini was Europe's leading first-season sire of 2005, when he numbered the Cheveley Park heroine among his winners; and if the jumps game had a Champion first-season sire, Kayf Tara would be the one - in fact, when his first crop had just turned six he has already led all British stallions on the National Hunt win prize money list. Two more fine horses complete the Overbury stallion line-up: the Timeform Champion miler of 2005, the exceptional Proclamation, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sagamix, who is already having hurdle winners in the UK.

Overbury Stallions Ltd is committed to standing exciting, well-bred stallions who represent value for breeders keen to use young stallions who could be the next big thing. As many successful breeders know, this kind of stallion offers the possibility of huge rewards for a modest outlay. Besides its stallion business, Overbury Stud also offers top quality boarding and sales services and is developing a new broodmare band with the aim of repeating this famous nursery's earlier successes. Particularly, we intend to strengthen our position at the leading foal and yearling sales, where we are already achieving good prices for youngstock.

Raised and grazed

Obviously any win for a horse conceived here is special, but doubly treasured are the successes of horses raised here. As previously outlined in the news section, the wins of the progeny of Jeremy Hinds’ two mares Another Secret and Megalex have been extremely satisfying. Another Secret’s only 2 runner, (by Bertolini) Smokey Rye and Smokey Ryder, have 13 wins between them (Smokey Rye is also Stakes placed) Megalex’s 2 runners have each won, and have been placed in 7 out of a total of 8 runs.

On the Flat, Bombina, bred in partnership between Dukes Stud and Overbury, (her Listed-winning dam Firebelly switches between Gloucestershire and Newmarket) won at 2 and 3 years before being sold to race on in California. Firebelly’s Cadeaux Genereux foal fetched 62,000gns at the 2008 December Sales at Tattersalls. He then re-sold for £100,000 to Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, and will be trained by William Haggas.

Agent Almeida hoisted the Overbury flag on French soil when winning at Cagnes Sur Mer. The Dubai Destination colt was another to have spent his formative years with us as his dam Shining Vale is a member of the stud’s broodmare band. Her daughter Mrs Snow, also raised at Overbury Stud, sold in France in December 2009 for €200,000.