Seconds Out: Oli's latest monthly blog

Hello Racesharers,

I hope you're all keeping well and enjoying the last few days of summer if we can call it that. This week I'll be heading to Cheltenham, not to get an early look at the turf for the upcoming National Hunt season, rather to cover the snooker for ITV. It's always nice to dip my toe into other sports and as a massive fan of snooker I’m really looking forward to it.

I will no doubt bore any of you that follow me on social media with snooker posts over the next few days but in this month’s blog, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on the career of the mighty Wootton Bassett who we learnt this week sadly passed away, aged 17, at Coolmore Australia after complications from choke led to acute pneumonia.

Wootton Bassett’s story is one of transformation and legacy. Bred in England by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, he was a bay colt by Iffraaj out of the mare Balladonia.

As a two‑year‑old, he was undefeated in five starts, culminating in a victory in the Group 1 Prix Jean‑Luc Lagardère at Longchamp in 2010. His three‑year-old season did not bring wins, and he was retired to stud.

Initially standing in France at Haras d’Etreham, his fees were modest in his early seasons—around €6,000, even falling to €4,000 in his third and fourth seasons. Over time, though, breeders recognised his ability to produce quality stock. In 2020, the mighty Coolmore operation acquired him. From that point on, his career as a sire entered its golden chapter.

At the time of his death, he stood for an Australian record fee of AU$385,000.

He was the leading European sire in 2025 by both stakes winners and prize money (c. £7.6 million)

He sired 71 stakes winners, including 16 at Group/Grade 1 level.

From his more recent Irish crops, he produced 25 stakes winners and six G1 winners.

Some of the biggest names among his offspring include Camille Pissarro, Henri Matisse, Whirl, Al Riffa, and King Of Steel.

Even his progeny as a paternal grandsire has made an impact—with horses like Gezora and Woodshauna winning at Group 1 level.

His offspring were often praised for their temperament, toughness, and willingness to work, traits many attributed to the stallion himself. Trainers often commented that Wootton Bassett’s stock rarely disappointed, even if they didn’t all become stars.

Wootton Bassett had suffered from choke—a blockage in the oesophagus that can impede breathing or feeding—and from that, he developed acute pneumonia. Despite round-the-clock veterinary care—including involvement from Dr Nathan Slovis of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky—he could not be saved.

Many have described his passing as leaving a monumental void in the breeding world. Coolmore’s gamble to take him on as a major sire has, by all measures, paid off beyond expectations.

In short: Wootton Bassett wasn’t just a champion in his own right—he became a defining pillar of modern Thoroughbred breeding. He will be missed enormously by breeders, owners and indeed racing fans but his brilliance as one of the great modern stallions will live on through his offspring.