Stakes Double for Wootton Bassett Juveniles
Wootton Bassett’s exceptional year with his juveniles went into overdrive at Leopardstown in Ireland on Saturday where he sired Green Impact (2c Wootton Bassett x Emerald Green, by Galileo) to win the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes (1m) and Chantez (2f Wootton Bassett x Lady Lara, by Excellent Art) to win the Listed Ingabelle Stakes (7f).
Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, Green Impact was having his third start following a second and a win in June and July. He raced well off a little break and scored a half length win over the race favourite Delacroix.
“Green Impact was always a lovely horse, very laid-back and very easy to train. He's a very big horse and I think we probably haven't seen the best of him yet. We can dream all winter. I think we'll see a really nice horse next year,” said Jessica Harrington.
Green Impact is a homebred for Marc Chan and is very closely related to another Group winning juvenile this season for Wootton Bassett in Angeal.
He is the first winner from placed Galileo mare Emerald Dream, a three-quarter sister to Group I winner Curvy, who is the dam of Angeal.
The Listed Ingabelle Stakes (7f) went the way of the Ger Lyons trained filly Chantez, who started favourite after a second and first at her initial two starts.
Despite racing very greenly over the final furlongs, Chantez was too classy and scored by three-quarters of a length although winning rider Colin Keane had to earn his fee to keep her straight.
“I'm surprised how green she ran because in her first two starts she didn't show any greenness,” said Ger Lyons.
“Colin [Keane] said she saw the photographers and she did everything wrong today, but still won. She's a lovely filly and, if we didn't have Babouche and Red Letter, you'd be very high on her going into next spring.
“Getting one for each race is a struggle, so having three to go to war with is something to really look forward to over the winter. Coming into this it was 'put her away till next year', but it's all about the ground as she's a top-of-the-ground filly. There is not much of her and we won't make a decision for a week or two.”
Chantez was purchased by Newtown Anner Stud for 220,000 guineas from Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale and is a half-sister to Group II winning stayer Changingoftheguard (IRE), who is now racing in Australia and trained by Kris Lees.
She is the second winner and second stakes-winner from Group II winning Excellent Art mare Lady Lara.
Green Impact and Chantez are the 50th and 51st stakes-winners for Wootton Bassett, who is back in Australia at a fee of $192,500 this spring.
His current juvenile crop in the Northern Hemisphere has produced 24 winners from 58 starters and eight are stakes-winners.