Wootton Bassett (horse)

British Thoroughbred racehorse

Wootton Bassett

Sire| Iffraaj
Grandsire| Zafonic
Dam| Balladonia
Damsire| Primo Dominie
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 4 February 2008[1]
Country| United Kingdom
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Laundry Cottage Stud Farm
Owner| Frank Brady & The Cosmic Cases
Trainer| Richard Fahey
Record| 9: 5-0-0
Earnings| £541,704
Major wins
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (2010)

Wootton Bassett (foaled 4 February 2008) is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2010, when he was undefeated in five races including the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. He failed to win in 2011 and was retired from racing at the end of the season. He had considerable success as a sire of winners standing at stud in France, and was purchased by Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2020.

## Background

[edit]

Wootton Bassett is a bay horse with a small white star bred in England by the Hertfordshire-based Laundry Cottage Stud. In September 2009 he was put up for auction at the Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sale and was bought for 44,000 guineas by Bobby O'Ryan.[1] He entered the ownership of Frank Brady & The Cosmic Cases and was sent into training with Richard Fahey at Malton, North Yorkshire.

He was sired by Iffraaj, who won the Group 2 Park Stakes twice and the Lennox Stakes once, as well as finishing second in the 2006 July Cup. His other progeny have included Rizeena, Chriselliam and Ribchester.[2] Wootton Bassett's dam Balladonia showed some racing ability, winning one of her eighteen races and twice finishing placed in the Listed Hoppings Stakes.[3] She was a granddaughter of the American broodmare Gliding By (foaled 1975), making her a close relative of to Silver Patriarch.[4]

## Racing career

[edit]

### 2010: two-year-old season

[edit]

Wootton Bassett began his racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Ayr Racecourse on 19 June in which he was ridden by Tony Hamilton and won by one and a quarter lengths from five opponents at odds of 11/4.[5] He was ridden in all of his subsequent races by Paul Hanagan. On 15 July at Doncaster Racecourse the colt startes 2/5 favourite for a six furlong novice race (for horses with no more than two previous wins) and won by two lengths from Forjatt after leading from the start.[6] At York Racecourse on 19 August Wootton Bassett started 5/4 favourite for the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes, a valuable event restricted to juveniles sold at Doncaster in the previous year. He disputed the lead from the start and drew ahead of his rivals in the final furlong to win by one and three quarter lengths from Galtymore Lad.[7] In another valuable sales race, the Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, at Doncaster Racecourse on 9 September, the colt defeated Galtymore Lad again, staying on strongly in the closing stages to win by a length.[8]

For his final run of the year Wootton Bassett was sent to France and stepped up in class to contest the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère over 1400 metres on very soft ground at Longchamp Racecourse on 3 October. He started second favourite behind the filly Moonlight Cloud in a nine-runner field which also included My Name Is Bond (winner of the Prix La Rochette), Tin Horse (runner-up in the Prix Morny) and King Torus (Vintage Stakes). Wootton Bassett took the lead soon after the start, opened up a clear advantage 500 metres from the finish, and came home two and a half lengths clear of Maiguri and Tin Horse, who dead-heated for second place.[9] Hanagan commented: "The race went perfectly to plan for us and really it's all about enjoying the moment. I've waited such a long time for my first Group One and now it has happened", while Richard Fahey said "We wanted to make plenty of use of him as we felt he would stay well. He's the first proper Group horse I have had since Utmost Respect, and you would have to look down the Classic route now. I put him in the Irish Guineas a while ago and I will put him in the English and French Guineas as well."[10]

### 2011: three-year-old season

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Wootton Bassett began his second campaign at Longchamp on 15 May when he started favourite for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains but after leading for most of the way he was overtaken in the last 200 metres and sustained his first defeat as came home fifth of the fourteen runners behind Tin Horse. At Royal Ascot in June he made little impact in the St James's Palace Stakes as he finished seventh behind Frankel beaten fourteen lengths by the winner.[11] Wootton Bassett was dropped back to sprint distances for his two remaining races but failed to recover his juvenile form as he finished fifth behind Moonlight Cloud in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Racecourse in August and thirteenth behind Dream Ahead in the Haydock Sprint Cup on 3 September.[12]

## Stud record

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Wootton Bassett was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion. He was based at the Haras d'Etreham in France before being sold to stand for the Coolmore Stud in 2020.[13] His stallion fee in the 2023 season was €150,000, which was increased to €200,000 for 2024.[14]

### Notable progeny

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Wootton Bassett's 11 Group One winners:[15]

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled | Name | Sex | Major wins

|
|
|

2013  | Almanzor | c  | Prix du Jockey Club, Irish Champion Stakes, Champion Stakes
2016  | Audarya | f  | Prix Jean Romanet, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
2017  | Wooded | c  | Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp
2018  | Incarville | f  | Prix Saint-Alary
2019  | Zellie | f  | Prix Marcel Boussac
2020  | Al Riffa  | c  | National Stakes, Grosser Preis von Berlin
2020  | King of Steel  | c  | Champion Stakes
2021  | Bucanero Fuerte  | c  | Phoenix Stakes
2021  | Unquestionable  | c  | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
2022  | Camille Pissarro  | c  | Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère
2022  | Henri Matisse  | c  | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
2022  | Tennessee Stud  | c  | Criterium de Saint-Cloud
2022  | Twain  | c  | Criterium International

## Pedigree

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Pedigree of Wootton Bassett (GB), bay stallion, 2008[1] Sire
Iffraaj (GB)
2001  | Zafonic (USA)
1990  | Gone West | Mr. Prospector

|
|
|

Secrettame
Zaizafon  | The Minstrel (CAN)
Mofida (GB)
Pastorale (GB)
1988  | Nureyev (USA)  | Northern Dancer (CAN)
Special
Park Appeal (IRE)  | Ahonoora (GB)
Balidaress
Dam
Balladonia (GB)
1996  | Primo Dominie (GB)
1982  | Dominion | Derring-Do
Picture Palace
Swan Ann  | My Swanee
Anna Barry
Susquehanna Days (USA)
1990  | Chief's Crown | Danzig
Six Crowns
Gliding By  | Tom Rolfe
Key Bridge (Family: 2-n)[4]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Wootton Bassett pedigree". Equineline.
2. ^ "Iffraaj progeny". Racing Post. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
3. ^ "Balladonia – Race Record". Racing Post.
4. ^ a b "Alexander Mare – Family 2-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
5. ^ "Real Radio European Breeders' Fund Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 19 June 2010.
6. ^ "ESG Novice Stakes result". Racing Post. 15 July 2010.
7. ^ "DBS Premier Yearling Stakes result". Racing Post. 19 August 2010.
8. ^ "Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes result". Racing Post. 9 September 2010.
9. ^ "Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère result". Racing Post. 3 October 2010.
10. ^ "All-the-way Bassett batters Lagardere field". Irish Examiner. 3 October 2010.
11. ^ "St James's Palace Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 June 2011.
12. ^ "Haydock Sprint Cup result". Racing Post. 3 September 2011.
13. ^ Scutts, Andrew (14 August 2020). "Coolmore pull off big coup as they buy rising stallion sensation". Racing Post.
14. ^ Trice, Kitty (7 November 2023). "Wootton Bassett up to €200,000 as Coolmore reveal 2024 stallion roster and fees". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
15. ^ "Wootton Bassett Progeny". Racing Post.