DIAMONDS ARE FOR BARTONS

John and Maree Barton and two of the industry’s nice guys. Breed a few, buy a few. Had their ups, had their downs. Vital cogs that keep the wheel turning.

Saturday was definitely an ‘up’. Their 3YO filly, Diamond Earth, won her first stakes race, taking out the Denise’s Joy Stakes over 1100m at Scone.

Being by Choisir and hailing from a good family, black type in caps adds enormous broodmare potential – ultimately a sizeable payday for a horse that cost just $60,000 at the 2011 Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney.

Thing is, Diamond Earth has already paid back her owners ten fold with the Scone victory taking her prizemoney tally to $607,275 from just 15 outings.

And while the Bartons had plenty of cause for celebration, their joy was somewhat shared by Inglis as Diamond Earth is living testimony to the advantages of sales related bonuses.

Diamond Earth’s first win – at Moonee Valley on 22 October 2011 (coincidentally the same program that Black Caviar won the Schweppes and Pinker Pinker the Cox Plate) – was in the $250,000 Inglis Banner, while her second score was at Warwick Farm in the $250,000 Inglis Nursery.

So, effectively she was purchased in January and, before the year was out, she had won $326,500!

Don’t know about you, but reckon there’s at least 600,000 good reasons why you should brave the cold at this week’s Great Southern Sale at Oaklands Junction.

Worse case scenario, you’ll always be able to get a hot coffee at the Eliza Park marquee.