THE news came in August 2020 that Coolmore had added Wootton Bassett to their ranks, having just completed his ninth season at Haras d’Etreham. He had sired the 2016 champion three-year-old Almanzor in his first crop, but Coolmore realised his potential, and their investment was totally justified.

Now comes the sad, indeed devastating, news that Coolmore’s most expensive sire has died in Australia, where he was set to command a record fee for down under.

His demise, at the age of just 17, comes as the stock from his first Irish-conceived crops are winning all around them, and now the scramble will be for his best sons to take his place. This year’s Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby winner Camille Pissarro and the Group 1 Poule d’Essai Des Poulains-French 2000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse are the obvious choices for Coolmore.

At the time of his purchase five years ago, Coolmore’s David O’Loughlin was quoted as saying: “From his initial small crops, Wootton Bassett has achieved outstanding results. His first crop of just 23 foals included classic winner and European champion Almanzor. He’s had two other colts finish second in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club [French Derby], and two daughters finished second, beaten only a nose, and third in this year’s Group 1 French 1000 Guineas – and all from €6,000 nominations or less.

“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. 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 for Richard Fahey, Wootton Bassett was a decisive winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere after which he was rated the champion juvenile colt in France. He did not train on at three.

Well, time has shown that Coolmore’s prophecy was well-founded. The sire’s tally of pattern winners stands at 50, with 21 other stakes winners, and his Irish-conceived crops are just two and three-year-olds.

He has no fewer than 16 sons and daughters who have won at the top-flight of racing, and they have 24 Group or Grade 1 victories to their credit. Those who have won more than once at this level are Al Riffa (dam by Galileo), Almanzor, Whirl (dam by Galileo), Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse who are by out of mares by Pivotal, and Audarya.

Bred by Colin and Melba Bryce at Laundry Cottage Stud, the son of Iffraaj and Balladonia (Primo Dominie) sold to Bobby O’Ryan at the Doncaster St Leger Sale for £46,000. While we pay tribute to Wootton Bassett on his passing, his story is not yet ready to be told in full, and he will feature in these columns for many years to come.