Group 1 Target For Wootton Bassett’s Latest Group Winner

Saturday saw Ilaraab (5h Wootton Bassett - Belova, by Soviet Star) gain his second black-type success with a game performance in the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes at Newbury.

A Group 3 winner over course and distance in October, the William Haggas-trained entire was reunited with Tom Marquand at Newbury, who positioned the bay behind the leaders from an early stage. Shaken up after the three furlong marker, he was ridden to lead approaching the final furlong and kept on well to prevail by a neck. Group 1 winner Scope claimed runners-up honours, with another four lengths back to the third.

Speaking after the race, the winning trainer said, “He was always finding although the other horse came back and is a good stayer. It was a good effort with a penalty. I'm trying to keep him to left-handed tracks, so we'll look at the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”

Owned by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, the now eight-time winner was bought as a yearling for 200,000gns. The son of Wootton Bassett was bred by Mrs Maria Marron.