Wootton Bassett Colt Sets New Record At 4,300,000gns

A son of Wootton Bassett became the highest-priced yearling colt ever sold in Europe when knocked down to Amo Racing for 4,300,000gns.

MV Magnier underbid the Lodge Park Stud homebred, who also holds the title of the most expensive yearling colt to be sold worldwide in 2024. The compliment that agent Alex Elliott paid the bay should then come as no surprise: “If you were going to paint a racehorse, that’s as close to perfection as you can get.”

Elliott, who is a leading force in buying for Kia Joorabchian’s operation, continued: “From the top to the bottom, from the farm he came from, the amount of time and money and love that the Burns family have put into that page, it’s just phenomenal. To get a physical like that is a lifetime achievement for anybody.

“If he can run to how he looks, he’s going to have a spot in a stallion shed one day. It was always going to take that [price] because Coolmore weren’t going to let that horse out of their sight. To beat them, when they’re the best in the game, I think what Kia is doing is refreshing. It feels like it’s reinvigorated the whole thing.”

Jamie Burns, who led his family’s prized possession through the ring, was understandably in high spirits. “I’m coming down from the clouds a bit now but it was all pretty special. He’s been busy all week and has never turned a hair once. He’s a beautiful horse and the family has always done us well. Hopefully, he will be the next one to enhance the pedigree.”

The colt became Wootton Bassett’s second millionaire of the day, with William Haggas having earlier secured one of his fillies for 1,700,000gns. The May-born bay was bred by the Tsui family out of My Titania, whose three Stakes winners were trained by Haggas.

After signing for The Castlebridge Consignment’s offering, the trainer revealed she had been bought on behalf of Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy. “She’s a very nice filly - the family are all quite big as she is. I didn’t really know how to value her. I thought she’d make seven figures but those sort of pedigrees are quite hard to value. She’ll be a nice one to join their broodmare band when she’s finished racing.”