WHEN news of the death of Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) was announced, it was soon after his son Al Riffa had won the Group 1 Irish St Leger. Since then, we have no end of reminders why his loss will be felt for some time to come.

First up, he sired his first southern hemisphere-bred stakes winner in Australia, West Of Swindon winning the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, The three-year-old colt was winning for the first time, and such a landmark victory for his late sire was well overdue. Wootton Bassett was getting close, not just to a stakes winner, but a Group 1 winner. Last season his best son down under, Wodeton, was narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Golden Slipper, and was runner-up at the top-flight again, two days after West Of Swindon’s success.