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Bumper First Irish Book For Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett (GB) has been given a rapturous reception in his first season in Ireland at Coolmore, where he covered 244 mares, including 61 daughters of the late Galileo (Ire).

The figures for the 2021 covering season have recently been made available on Weatherbys Bloodstock Reports online. They show that Galileo, who died on July 10, covered 45 mares this season, though with a number of those having also visited other stallions, his final crop is likely to be very small.

The same cannot be said for Wootton Bassett, who made the bloodstock world sit up and take notice when siring the European champion 3-year-old Almanzor (Fr) in his first crop which contained only 17 foals. During nine seasons in France at Haras d'Etreham, Wootton Bassett's profile continued to grow, with his leading performers including Breeders' Cup heroine Audarya (Fr), G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded (Ire) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary victrix Incarville (Fr).

Audarya's dam Green Bananas (Fr) (Green Tune) paid Wootton Bassett a return visit this year, along with the dams of Group 1 winners Channel (Ire), Golden Horde (Ire), Harry Angel (Ire), Immortal Verse (Ire), Limato (GB), Line Of Duty (Ire), Mabs Cross (Ire), Mukhadram (GB), One Master (GB), Sioux Nation, Tepin, Zoustar (Aus) and this year's standout 3-year-old filly Snowfall (Jpn).

His book also featured an impressive list of Group/Grade 1 winners, headed by the Arc winner Found (Ire) and including Albigna (Ire), Alexandrova (Ire), Awesome Maria, Bracelet (Ire), Clemmie (Ire), Curvy (Ire), Deirdre (Jpn), Fancy Blue (Jpn), Miss Yoda (Ger), Nickname, Peeping Fawn (Ire), Proviso (GB), The Fugue (GB) and Was (Ire). Along with the 61 Galileo mares, another 13 in his book were maternal grand-daughters of the multiple champion sire.

Wootton Bassett's fee rose to €100,000 this year, up from €40,000 in his final season at Etreham which in itself was a significant rise from his opening fee of €6,000 in 2012. In 2014 and 2015 he covered for just €4,000.

Figures released by Weatherbys focusing on the Coolmore stallions show that of the five sons of Galileo currently standing in Fethard, Churchill (Ire), who has so far sired 15 first-crop winners and four black-type performers, was the busiest of the quintet. He covered 198 mares this year, including the Arc winner Danedream (Ger). Australia (GB) was sent 162 mares, including Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the dam of two of his stars of this season, Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire).

Camelot (GB)'s book of 170 mares included the dam of Aclaim (Ire), which presents some interesting inbreeding to Floripedes (Fr) (Top Ville {Ire}), the dam of Montjeu (Ire). Sparrow (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the dam of Camelot's G1 Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire), has made a return visit and another mare of note among Camelot's 2021 suitors is Maria Lee (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of Poetic Flare (Ire).

In his first season at stud, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) covered 132 mares, while No Nay Never, whose best runners this year include the high-class Alcohol Free (Ire), was sent 183 mares and his Group 1-winning son Ten Sovereigns served 152 mares in his second season.

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Forty-Eight Hour Declarations Made Permanent In Ireland

Forty-eight hour declarations, adopted in Ireland from June 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, will become permanent after receiving the vote of approval from the board of Horse Racing Ireland.

“The HRI Board accepted that there were many positive reasons for retaining 48-hour declarations on a permanent basis,” said Jason Morris, director of racing at Horse Racing Ireland. “Significant commercial, marketing and operational benefits have been identified including the promotion of our sport by media and the betting industry.

“48-hour declarations are considered essential by our media rights partners when it comes to maximising our income streams from international markets, thereby driving revenues for racecourses as well as increasing the exposure of our horses for export purposes. Their permanent retention had support from associations representing racecourses, owners, and stable staff, all of whom identified the positive benefits of being able to plan further ahead. The Jockeys Association and IHRB Senior Medical Officer are also strongly supportive from a health and welfare perspective as it gives more notice to jockeys of their required riding weights and doubles the time available for them to manage any required weight loss.

“While there has been an anticipated increase in non-runners, the overall effect has not been significant as our reserve system allows for replacements–the net percentage of non-runners has only increased by 0.10 runners per race from 2019 to 2021 against the background of average field sizes increasing overall from 11.5 to 12.3 runners per race over this period.

“We acknowledge the concerns of the trainers and owners associations around the timetable for making entries and we will explore with the IRTA and AIRO whether beneficial changes can be made to the current entry schedule.”

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Four For Irish Champion, Ten In The Leger

Ballydoyle's St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will take on The Aga Khan's Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Jim Bolger's Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and just one other in what is certain to be a tactical renewal of Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. As he suggested earlier this month, Aidan O'Brien has taken out all other entries for the 10-furlong contest, which is made up by last year's G3 Meld S. winner Patrick Sarsfield (Fr) (Australia {GB}).

At Doncaster the same afternoon, the G1 Cazoo St Leger will see Godolphin's G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) face nine rivals including Amo Racing's G1 Epsom Derby runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Aidan O'Brien has confirmed a quartet including TDN Rising Star High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the unexposed Interpretation (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who will sport the Peter Brant silks.

Frankie Dettori is on the supplemented High Definition, with Wayne Lordan partnering the G2 Great Voltigeur S. runner-up The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), James Doyle on that race's fourth Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Hollie Doyle aboard the Aug. 12 Listed Vinnie Roe S. winner Interpretation. Having impressed with two prior front-running rides for Ballydoyle including a third in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on the 150-1 outsider La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), it was no surprise to see Hollie Doyle booked for one of the team's contenders here. “It's a great ride to pick up. He looks highly progressive and is unbeaten this year,” she said. “He's certain to stay and it's my first ride in the Leger and I'm really looking forward to it.”

They help to make up a six-strong Irish representation in the extended 14-furlong Classic, with Johnny Murtagh looking for a breakthrough English Classic success with the G3 Gordon S. winner Ottoman Emperor (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}).

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Newmarket’s Guineas Meeting Extended To Three Days

From next year, the QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket will be extended from two to three days. The 2022 fixture will run from Friday, Apr. 29 to Sunday, May 1. The meeting was last run as a three-day fixture in 2003.

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas will remain in its traditional Saturday slot, with the QIPCO 1000 Guineas run as usual on the Sunday. Details for the Friday programme are yet to be announced.

“We're delighted to be enhancing one of British racing's most prestigious Flat racing fixtures and a meeting which has shown sustained growth in the last decade,” said Sophie Able, general manager of Newmarket Racecourses.

“An additional day means more flexibility to optimise the meeting's race programme both for participants and those who follow and bet on racing, as well as the chance to use the existing infrastructure to create another great day out for our customers. There are wider benefits too in terms of the shape of Newmarket's early-season fixture list, more recovery time for the course itself, and an easier operational switch onto the July Course.”

The Guineas meeting kicks off the British Champions Series, which will now begin a day earlier. For the past two seasons, general racegoers have been unable to attend the first Classics of the British season owing to Covid restrictions being in place. In 2020, the Guineas meeting was delayed until the first weekend of June following a three-month shutdown of racing in the early days of the pandemic.

Rod Street, chief executive of British Champions Series, said, “The QIPCO Guineas Festival is one of the highlights of the British sporting calendar and we welcome the fact that racegoers will be able to enjoy a third day of brilliant racing from the Rowley Mile.

“Whilst the circumstances in 2020 were very different, we have seen the interest that a three-day Festival is able to generate and very much view this as a chance to engage more people in one of racing's most important events.”

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