Wootton Bassett All The Rage At Goffs Orby Sale

A colt bred on the same cross as Group 1 winning juvenile Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) led terrific demand for Wootton Bassett’s progeny at the Goffs Orby Sale when knocked down to Kim Valerio for €500,000.

The US-based agent purchased the bay on behalf of microshare syndicate Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, whose Chase Chamberlin said, “We said we weren’t going to buy a horse unless one begged us to take him home, and this one did. He’s beautiful and he’s got a massive pedigree.”

“He was my top choice,” Valerio added. “He’s beautiful. He looks like an American horse and I tend to migrate towards those. He’s light on his feet and super smart.”

New connections revealed that Donnacha O’Brien will train the prized colt, who was offered by Glenvale Stud on behalf of breeder Diamond Creek Farm. He is the first foal out of an unraced full-sister to Group 1 winners Hydrangea (Galileo), Hermosa (Galileo) and The United States (Galileo).

The same Wootton Bassett/Galileo cross was in the spotlight just ten lots earlier, when Alex Elliott stretched to €400,000 for Whitehall Stud’s half-brother to dual Stakes winner Fancy Man. The May-born bay also counts the 95-rated Hero Hero (No Nay Never) amongst his siblings, but represented the mare’s best result in the sales ring to date.

David Redvers set the tone the previous day when securing a Wootton Bassett colt from Camas Park Stud for €460,000. After signing the docket as Qatar Racing and China Horse Club, Redvers revealed his high expectations for his purchase. “We’re looking to buy colts for Sheikh Fahad, China Horse Club and David Howden with a view to one day turning them into a stallion.”

“He’s a horse that, as a group, we’ve had on our minds since we first saw him. He’s by a phenomenal sire of two-year-olds out of a Group 1-winning two-year-old. He’s just a rockstar of an individual and definitely has a wonderful temperament.”

The colt is the first foal out of the Niarchos family’s homebred Group 1 winner Albigna (Zoffany)- just one of many top-class mares sent to Wootton Bassett in his first season at Coolmore Stud.

Wootton Bassett’s progeny generated over €3.6million over the two day sale, with buyers including Al Shira’aa Racing, Joseph Burke, MV Magnier, Richard Ryan, Robson Aguiar and Will Stroud.