Fully booked Wootton Bassett to stand for A$71,500 as Coolmore releases fees

Rags-to-riches sire sensation Wootton Bassett and Coolmore Australia’s other newcomer, dual Group 1-winning juvenile King’s Legacy, will stand for A$71,500 (£40,150/€46,160) and A$33,000 respectively in their maiden southern hemisphere seasons at stud.

So You Think, the sire of 11 stakes winners this season including George Ryder Stakes winner Think It Over, has had his fee doubled to A$77,000 in 2021 after being the country’s most active stallion last year, while Pierro will stand for a slightly reduced fee of A$110,000.

Champion Fastnet Rock, the sire of three southern hemisphere-bred Group 1 winners this season among 17 stakes winners, will remain at an unchanged fee of A$165,000.

Coolmore acquired Wootton Bassett from Haras d'Etreham in France last year and he is standing his first season in Ireland for a fee of €100,000.

The Coolmore hierarchy made the call to shuttle the son of Iffraaj to Australia and Colm Santry, Coolmore Australia’s sales and nominations manager, said they had been swamped with requests by breeders to send mares to Wootton Bassett in recent weeks.

“We announced Wootton Bassett in the lead up to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and he was incredibly well received,” said Santry.

“He is already fully booked and will cover a high quality line-up of mares. Statistically, he is an incredible sire and it is a great show of faith in the Australian breeding industry from the Magnier family to bring a horse of his calibre down here.

“He stands for the equivalent of A$155,000 in Ireland and is great value for a proven Group 1 sire at this introductory fee.”

King’s Legacy, a $1.4 million Magic Millions graduate for the James Harron Bloodstock colts syndicate, justified his big price tag with a stellar two-year-old season, starting with a victory in the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes in Brisbane before completing the Group 1 double of the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes-ATC Champagne Stakes.

With the bloodlines behind him, being closely related to the now pensioned Not A Single Doubt, Coolmore moved on a deal to clinch standing rights in King’s Legacy after his Sires win.

“Redoute’s Choice is one of the greatest Australian-bred stallions of all time, and arguably the best sire of sires since his own sire, Danehill,” said Santry.

“The combination of his great looks, stallion’s pedigree and superior two-year-old form make King’s Legacy a mouth-watering prospect.

“Our team feels like he is well priced to give breeders the chance to make a significant return on their investment.

“We all know the importance of ‘type’ at the yearling sales and King’s Legacy is an awesome physical specimen, as reflected by his own yearling sale price.”

So You Think, who covered 261 mares last year, has, according to Santry, “undoubtedly developed into one of the best stallions in Australia”.

He said: “He has had an incredible season on the track, with 11 stakes winners and eight Group winners in Australia, and in the ring with his yearlings selling for A$1m, A$900,000 and A$800,000.

“He is an incredibly versatile stallion, with Group winners from 1,200m (six furlongs) to 3,200m (two miles) this season, and with a number of large, well-bred crops coming through the system, he is only going to continue to get better.”

Justify (A$55,000) and Saxon Warrior (A$13,750) are also returning for a third season in Australia.

Justify: 'His first weanlings are something to behold'Credit: Coolmore

“The unprecedented quality of mares covered by Justify in his first two seasons has been well documented and his first weanlings are something to behold,” said Santry.

“He is well represented at the upcoming Inglis and Magic Millions weanling sales, with a number of high-class individuals on offer.

“His third season represents a great opportunity for breeders to cash in on the back of arguably the two best books of mares ever covered by a young stallion in this country.”

American Pharoah (A$49,500), Churchill (A$22,000), Magna Grecia (A$19,250) and Calyx (A$13,750) will also shuttle to Coolmore.

Coolmore Australia stallion roster

20212020

Fastnet Rock $165,000unchanged

Pierro $110,000$137,500

So You Think $77,000$38,500

Wootton Bassett $71,500new

Justify $55,000$66,000

American Pharoah $49,500$55,000

Yes Yes Yes $38,500unchanged

King's Legacy $33,000new

Merchant Navy $33,000$44,000

Vancouver $22,000$30,250

Pride Of Dubai $22,000$38,500

Churchill $22,000$19,250

Magna Grecia $19,250$22,000

Calyx $13,750$17,600

Saxon Warrior $13,750$17,600

Adelaide $5,500$8,800

Standing at Swettenham Stud in association with Coolmore

Rubick $27,500$33,000

Highland Reel TBC$16,500

Subscribe to make sure you never miss updates from Australia, New Zealand and beyond and to have ANZ Bloodstock delivered to your inbox every day