A look at some of the star products Wootton Bassett, who died on Tuesday
Wootton Bassett is responsible for one of the most remarkable stallion careers and while his last foals have been conceived following his death on Tuesday, his legacy will live on.
The son of Iffraaj, who started his career in France at a fee €6,000, has thrown Group 1 winners all over the world, including some who have already gone on to produce Group 1 winners as stallions.
Below is a look at some of his highest-rating progeny, using the Racing And Sports rating system.
130 – Almanzor
Among just 23 first-drop foals was Almanzor, who landed Wootton Bassett his maiden Group 1 success when he won the 2016 French Derby. That was the second in a five-win run as a three-year-old, which concluded with victories in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes and Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot, running two 130 on each occasion. Almanzor quickly established himself as a top stallion with Group 1 winners including Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire and Victoria Derby winner Manzoice.
125 – Al Riffa
The Joseph O'Brien-trained entire has been in the news in Australia the last week or so, owing to being allocated 59kg joint topweight in this year's Melbourne Cup. He holds that honour owing to three Group 1 wins, the second of which came in last year's Grosser Preis Von Berlin, when he ran to 124, before elevating to 125 in his last-start romp in the Irish St Leger.
125 – King Of Steel
Ran to 125 the first of three times in his career at just his third start when edged out by Auguste Rodin in the 2023 Derby at Epsom but was first past the post the other two times he ran his peak figure, first in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and later in the Champion Stakes at the same track, when he defeated a horse Aussie racing fans now know very well – Via Sistina – by three-quarters-of-a-length.
125 – Topgear
This guy does not feature among Wootton Bassett's 16 Group 1 winners , but he has won seven times and among them was a 5-1/2-length romp in last year's Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1408m) at Newmarket.
122 – Whirl
Colts and entires dominate Wootton Bassett's list of top-raters to this point but the female galloper who stands tallest is the Coolmore filly who ran her peak figure in back-to-back Group 1 wins in the Northern Hemisphere summer. After a win over Kalpana in the Pretty Polly Stakes (2011m) she then walloped her rivals by five lengths in the Nassau Stakes (2011m).
122 – Henri Matisse
The Coolmore colt won his first three starts, culminating with the Group 2 Wootton Bassett Irish Futurity Stakes and rounded out his two-year-old season with a 116 win in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (1609m). Cracked 120 for the first time in his second win at the highest level, in this year's French Guineas, but ran his peak number in defeat, when second to Field Of Gold in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes (1609m).
122 – Sahlan
This France-based colt looks one of Wootton Bassett's most exciting colts, posting his peak figure at his most recent outing, in the Group 1 Prix Du Moulin (1600m) at Longchamp when he defeated Rosallion, a triple Group 1 winner who owns a peak rating of 125.
Among Wootton Bassett's other high-rating progeny is Chindit, who owns a 121 performance, 120-raters Camille Pissarro, Audarya, Wooded and Royal Patronage, who provided him with his first Australian Group 1 in this year's Canterbury Stakes.
His oldest progeny conceived in Australia are three-year-olds and include Wodeton and State Visit, who will chase Group 1 success in this Saturday's Golden Rose at Rosehill.
