Wootton bids to provide Bassett with more sweet success in French Classic

Few stallions get the kind of first season lift-off that Wootton Bassett gained through the exploits of Almanzor, who now resides in the same yard at Normandy's Haras d'Etreham as his sire.

But his third-crop son Wootton has ensured that, even as Almanzor's career on the track came to an end, the son of Iffraaj would still be at the forefront.

Bought by Godolphin at the suggestion of his trainer - long-time ally of Sheikh Mohammed, Alex Pantall - following a wide-margin debut success at Deauville in the colours of his breeders, the Haras de Quetieville, Wootton went a long way to justifying that outlay when streaking clear in the Prix Isonomy.

Having landed the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau on reappearance, he now heads the home challenge for Sunday's Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, a race which itself has a fine stallion-making pedigree.

Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure says: "Although he only won up to Listed level last year his two victories were very impressive and so to have another Classic hopeful in just Wootton Bassett's third crop - all conceived from smaller numbers at lower covering fees - was already great news.

"He was faultless in his comeback run. I don’t know if I would call him the favourite but he is certainly one of the three horses to beat in the race and he has a real chance. It’s very exciting and were Wootton Bassett to get a second Classic winner in three seasons it would be extraordinary."

Not that Wootton is his sire's only Classic hopeful in France this season, with Chambure hoping that Patascoy can carry the flag in the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club after a narrow defeat in the Prix de Guiche, the same Classic trial which set Almanzor on the road to success.

Wootton Bassett: the Haras D'Etreham resident is the sire of the unbeaten Wootton

"For me Patascoy has taken some stamina from the dam’s side - the family is German in origin - while Wootton Bassett adds a bit of energy, and of course quality," says Chambure. "He needs a bit of a trip and the other day he would have won with another 100 metres. I hope he will go to the Jockey Club where I think he will have a good chance, while perhaps Wootton might stay over a mile, given his dam was effective over seven furlongs."

The 'sold out' signs have been up for some time at Etreham regarding both Wootton Bassett and Almanzor - who it was recently announced will shuttle to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand this southern hemisphere season - with father capped at 140 mares and son covering 130.

The three-time Group 1 hero's debut book included 25 mares who have either won or produced the winner of a Group 1.

"The fact that Wootton Bassett has been a regular producer of good horses definitely lends credibility to Almanzor as well," says Chambure. "Almanzor has an excellent libido and is very easy to manage so everyone is very happy."

As for Wootton Bassett, the big increase in numbers and the quality of the mares being sent to him can only bode well for future crops.

Haras de Quetieville: 'a certain regard'

Wootton returns to the Deauville winners' enclosure after winning the Prix Isonomy under Mickael BarzalonaCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Wootton is out of the American Post mare American Nizzy and is the latest in a steady stream of stakes performers to be produced from mostly inexpensive covers by Belgian-born businessman Guido Sels.

Sels bought the property in the Orne region of Normandy back in 2007 and since then his emerald green colours have popped up at regular intervals in Listed and Group races, outstripping many far more lavishly-funded operations in its returns.

Stud manager Olivier Foucher arrived four years ago and has readily embraced the philosophy of Sels.

"The policy of Monsieur Sels is to seek out young stallions at a reasonable fee," says Foucher. "That certainly describes Wootton Bassett the year he bred Wootton [for €4,000], though of course the price has gone up since Almanzor came on the scene. Using that formula each year, with a broodmare band of between 20 and 24, Monsieur Sels has always turned up a black-type horse."

American Nizzy was successful herself on the track, finishing second in the 2009 Listed Prix Roland de Chambure on the Bastille Day card at Longchamp, though her early years as a broodmare were unspectacular.

That has changed with the arrival of Wootton, while Sels also got in at the basement with another rapidly-rising star in the European stallion ranks in Dabirsim.

"Wootton was already a promising horse for us before Godolphin came calling but it has definitely given us a lift. When you sell to someone like them, people look at the stud with a certain regard.

"Luckily the colt has continued his ascent and I hope that anything might be possible with him. More than that we have big hopes for his siblings coming on behind.

"There is Hot Summer, a two-year-old colt by Sommerabend with Monsieur Pantall, who will be ready to run over the summer. Behind him is a yearling colt by Dabirsim [Magic Baron] and she has delivered us a colt foal by Galiway. This year she is going back to Wootton Bassett."

Max Dynamite carried the colours of Haras de Quetieville before transferring to Willie MullinsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Quetieville remains essentially a family-owned enterprise for the pleasure of Sels and his close friends but, since his arrival four years ago, Foucher has attempted to move the stud gently in a more business-minded direction, though never commercial.

"We cut back on the numbers in recent years and concentrated on improving the quality of the mares," says Foucher. "Wootton has already worked out well and before that we sold Max Dynamite to Monsieur [Willie] Mullins and the Ricci family."

Quetieville is unlikely to become a regular feature in sales catalogues, given the preference its owner has for running his horses.

But his first stallion, American Devil, stands at Haras de Grandcamp and will have his first runners on the ground this season.

Sharp enough to win the 2011 Roland de Chambure at two yet still going strong when finishing fifth in the Diamond Jubilee as a five-year-old, American Devil is an example of Sels practising what he preaches, with the horse having averaged between 50 and 60 mares a season at a fee of €4,000.

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