G1 Target for Wootton Bassett's Ilaraab

Wootton Bassett featured at Newbury on Saturday where his talented performer Ilaraab (5h Wootton Bassett x Belova, by Soviet Star) took out the Group III Aston Park Stakes (1m4f).

Trained by William Haggas, Ilaraab ended last year on a high winning the Group III Newbury St Simon Stakes and has picked up this year in a similar vein.

He improved with a run under his belt to hold off all challengers and win by a neck and has further Black Type assignments in store.

“He was always finding although the other horse came back and is a good stayer. It was a good effort with a penalty and I never entered him at Royal Ascot because I don't think he likes going right-handed. I'm trying to keep him to left-handed tracks, so we'll look at the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group I) ,” William Haggas said.

Bought for 200,000 guineas from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Ilaraab runs for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum. has the overall record of eight wins and two placings from 14 starts.

He is the best of two winners from Belova, a half-sister by Soviet Star to Group III winner Census.

Ilaraab is one of 27 stakes-winners for Wootton Bassett, who will shuttle to Australia again this spring at a fee of $71,500.