The late Brian Grassick always believed Equiano (Fr) would make the grade at stud and his family are living that legacy at Newtown Stud in Naas.

A highly respected Irish agent, he bought Equiano as a largely unknown sprinter and the colt landed the G1 King’s Stand Stakes at the first time of asking for his new owners at Royal Ascot in 2008.

Grassick died before Equiano won the King’s Stand for a second time in 2010 and now his wife Sheila and daughter Cathy are prepping the first yearlings for sale at Newtown Stud.

They sold an Equiano – La Tintoretta filly at the Tattersalls Ireland yearling sale on Wednesday for the equivalent of AUD 50,400.  Her dam is by Desert Prince and she has already foaled the Curragh stakes winner Three Sea Captains (Choisir).

The Irish Sale is an entree for the world-class Tattersalls October yearling sale at Newmarket commencing on October 8.

Equiano has three lots entered for the opening day of the prestigious Book 1 catalogue at Newmarket.  The first to parade is Lot 5, a colt from G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Mail The Desert.  She is also a daughter of Desert Prince.

The first Equiano yearlings conceived at Swettenham Stud will be offered at the Inglis and Magic Millions majors in 2014.  Both companies have been super-impressed with the Equiano stock – there will be a large draft at the Melbourne Premier in March and Inglis director Jonathan D’Arcy has targeted several of them for the Easter Sale in April.

Equiano is a son of emerging sire of sires Acclamation who is currently going head-to-head with Oasis Dream at the top of the GB winners’ premiership.  They have both been represented by 70 individual winners this year.

Acclamation is also the leading GB stallion for 2YOs in both the prizemoney and winner categories.

Equiano is standing for a $16,500 (inc gst) service fee this year.  For further information on the Swettenham Stud roster, broodmare owners can contact Adam Sangster (0418 543 633) or Chris Belli (0417 514 552).

– Karl Patterson

BRIAN & SHEILA GRASSICK