Wootton Bassett was in vogue at Karaka on Sunday, with two of the top lots in the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale sired by the Coolmore stallion.
Just six lots in, a colt by the boom European sire, from Curraghmore’s draft, was knocked down to the $725,000 bid of Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Tom Magnier, the latter standing Wootton Bassett and owning his current Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) favourite Wodeton.
He is the first foal out of Nearco Stud mare Il Affare, a daughter of Dundeel who placed in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m), alongside fourth placings in the Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
While Il Affare was a capable stayer, her Group Three-winning half-sister Full Of Beauty earned more than HK$9.5 million in Hong Kong in the 1000m-1200m range.
Sydney-based Freedman was immediately taken by the colt, who will continue a long-term association with Magnier’s Coolmore.
“I just loved him,” Freedman said. “He’s a lovely moving horse and the stallion couldn’t be going any better.
“We’ve known the Coolmore boys for a long time and back in the day, we trained quite a few for them. Tom and I have been chatting for a little while about trying to do something together and obviously he is by their stallion.
“He was a colt that he really liked, so it just worked out well.”
A fan of the sire, Freedman had anticipated the price and expects that to be the standard with his progeny going forward.
“The stallion couldn’t be going any better and I don’t think they’re going to get any cheaper,” he said. “I think there’s 17 of them in the Easter catalogue in a couple of months’ time, so it was about what we thought we’d have to pay.
“We were fortunate enough to have a lot to do with Danehills back in the day and so many of his good ones just had that really relaxed demeanour, and that’s what I’ve seen of his (Wotton Bassett) stock that I’ve had so far.”
Later in the day, Cranbourne horseman Mick Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, was also eager to source a colt by the Coolmore sire and was pleased to have the gavel knocked down to his $600,000 bid for lot 103, the Wootton Bassett half-brother to Group Three winner Francesca, who was offered through Windsor Park’s draft.
“I liked it when I looked up and saw A$540,000,” quipped Price, in reference to the exchange rate.
“I think he (Wootton Bassett) is an amazing stallion. We watched the whole story on him – the guy (Bobby O’Ryan) buys him for $200,000 and as a 12-year-old Coolmore buy him for $50 million. It can only be one thing – because his stock goes well.”
Price was also taken by his dam-side pedigree, with his Group Three winner Ayrton featuring further down the page, and he believes the colt has the potential for a future career at stud.
“He is a beautiful colt, and Ayrton is in the family,” Price said. “He is a beautiful stud-type of colt if we can get the right form with him.
“One of my owners, Greg McCarthy, who bred Ayrton, bred him. I haven’t spoken with him yet, but I believe he is keeping 10 percent, Tom Magnier is keeping 10 percent, so we have got 80 percent to go.”
Price was also pleased to secure lot 58, a son of his former Group One winner Tarzino, for $180,000 out of Westbury Stud’s draft.
“He (Tarzino) was one of my boys, I was very fond of him,” Price said. “I have spoken with Westbury (Stud, who stand Tarzino) about how to breed that horse, and I think if you breed Tarzino to the sharper mares you get a better horse.
“Jungle Magnate (Group One winner) we bought off Gerry (Harvey, Westbury Stud principal) for $75,000 and he’s out of a mare that had a bit of a turn of foot. I think they are the right Tarzinos, so I was happy to have him.
“I paid a little more for him than I would have liked, but he is a late foal, and he is staying here (New Zealand).”
