Group 1 Target For Wootton Bassett’s Latest Stakes Winner

Houquetot (2c Wootton Bassett – Happen, by War Front) made it three wins from four starts when justifying favouritism in Sunday’s Group 3 Prix La Rochette at Longchamp.

Successful on his first two starts, the Christopher Head-trained colt was last seen finishing second in a Group 3 and remained over the seven furlong trip on his latest start. Racing prominently under Aurelien Lemaitre, the bay was ridden approaching the two furlong pole and was driven to lead inside the final furlong. He was ridden out to score by three parts of a length.

“Wootton Bassett is quite the stallion and what a stallion he is,” the winning trainer remarked. “I really like this horse, I love his attitude and that was perfect today. He behaves really well in his races and it bodes well for his next race, which will be the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.”

The Coolmore Stud-bred colt is owned by Al Shaqab Racing, Jean-Claude Seroul and Gerard Augustin-Normand.

Head and Lemaitre were responsible for another impressive Wootton Bassett winner the previous day, when Maranoa Charlie (2c Wootton Bassett – Koubalibre, by Galileo) bolted up by eight lengths at Chantilly.

The bay is now two from two, having run out a stylish winner of a valuable conditions race at Deauville on debut last month. Bred by Haras d’Etreham, Riviera Equine and Gesut zur Kuste, he is owned by Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter.