Best known as the sire of 2016 European Champion 3YO Almanzor, Wootton Bassett has been purchased by Coolmore from Haras d’Etreham.
“From his initial small crops in France, Wootton Bassett has achieved outstanding results,” said Coolmore’s David O’Loughlin.
“His first crop of just 23 foals included Classic winner and European champion three-year-old Almanzor, he’s had two other colts finish second in the Prix du Jockey Club and two fillies finish second, beaten only a nose, and third in this year’s French Guineas – and this all from €6,000 nominations or less.
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"He strikes us as a real Classic stallion, he gets a very good type and is a total outcross with his pedigree free of the major European forces like Sadler’s Wells, Galileo, Montjeu, Danehill, Green Desert, Invincible Spirit, Danehill Dancer and Dubawi."O'Loughlin added: "We are thrilled that he is coming to Coolmore and are very excited about what he might achieve when paired with our Galileo mares.”
Unbeaten in five starts at two years for Richard Fahey, Wootton Bassett landed two valuable sales events before running out a decisive winner of the Group I Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere after which he was rated the Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in France.
He started his stud career at a fee of €6,000 and his first crop conceived after a fee rise from €6,000 to €20,000 are now two-year-olds.
They already include Richard Hannon’s unbeaten Listed winner Chindit and a pair of first-time-out winners at Deauville in the shape of Hiroo Shimizu’s Midlife Crisis who earned TDN Rising Star status when scoring by five lengths and Fabrice Chappet’s Early Light who won in great style on Tuesday.
Wootton Bassett’s 2020 yearlings were sired at €20,000 and his 2020 foals at €40,000 while he also stood at €40,000 in 2020.
