WOOTTON WE LIKE TO KNOW!
Global powerhouse operation still undecided on fee for superstar shuttle stallion as farm takes pragmatic approach with stallion fees
Coolmore is still debating the fourth-year service fee for its superstar northern hemisphere sire Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), a shuttler already anointed by many involved in the Australasian market as the next major influential international stallion.
Tom Magnier and the Coolmore Australia team has taken a more pragmatic approach to the majority of its 13-strong Hunter Valley roster, reducing the service fees for nine stallions ahead of the 2024 season, in part due to the changing conditions in the local yearling market, as they weigh up what to stand Wootton Bassett for.
Dual Group 1-winning young stallion Home Affairs (I Am Invincible), whose first weanlings hit the market in the coming weeks, will stand for a slightly reduced fee of $82,500 (all fees inc GST) and proven barnmates So You Think (High Chaparral) ($82,500), Pierro (Lonhro) ($55,000) and Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) ($22,000) have also had their fees trimmed back by Coolmore management.
The unproven shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) ($38,500), dual Group 1-winning juvenile King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) ($22,000) and Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) ($19,250) will also stand for lower service fees later this year as will The Everest (1200m) winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) ($19,250) and Group 1-producing sire Churchill (Galileo) ($19,800).
However, Hong Kong and Dubai Group 1 winner California Spangle, who was runner-up in Sunday’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize (Gr 1, 1200m), and fellow Sha Tin trainee Beauty Eternal’s sire Starspangledbanner (Choisir) has earned a fee increase, going from $33,000 to $44,000 this year, while third season sire Acrobat (Fastnet Rock) remains at an unchanged $13,750.
Beauty Eternal became a Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) hero in scoring in one of Hong Kong’s signature races on Sunday, a performance that came just a day after Australian-bred two-year-old gelding Stanley Express launched his career in glorious fashion by landing the $1 million The Showdown (1200m) at Caulfield, further enhancing the reputation of the reverse shuttler Starspangledbanner.
Last season’s Golden Slipper-winning colt Shinzo (Snitzel), a son of Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m)–winning filly Samaready (More Than Ready), was recently confirmed as a high-profile new member of the Coolmore roster at an introductory fee of $55,000.
Wootton Bassett’s first southern hemisphere-bred crop of yearlings have averaged $374,652, with the daughter of New Zealand’s champion mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) fetching $2.1 million at the Magic Millions in January and a colt making $1.6 million at the same sale while a son of the stallion out of Sunlight (Zoustar) made $1.4 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Wootton Bassett, who started his stud career in France until his acquisition by Coolmore in 2020, stood for a fee of $93,500 in 2023 at Jerrys Plains. His European fee this year stands at €200,000 (approximately AUD$327,520).
“We are absolutely delighted with how Wootton Bassett’s first Australian yearlings were received with three making in excess of $1 million and 16 selling for $500,000 or more,” Coolmore Australia’s racing and bloodstock John Kennedy said.
“He is a world-class sire of Group 1 winners from 1000 metres and looks to have a very exciting two-year-old debut winner overnight at Navan in Ireland, Camille Pissarro, who looks Royal Ascot bound.”
In the past 12 months, Wootton Bassett has sired northern hemisphere Group 1 winners King Of Steel, Bucanero Fuerte and Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (Gr 1, 8f) scorer Unquestionable and, over the weekend, Ballydoyle unveiled exciting two-year-old Camille Pissarro, a colt from the stallion’s first-crop of horses conceived at Coolmore.
Pride Of Dubai has also enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over the past 12 months with the Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni winning three Group 1s this season – none more eye-catching than her last-start Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) victory – and stablemate Bella Nipotina taking her prize-money earnings to almost $9 million.
“Our current roster encompasses a strong mix of proven stallions and seriously exciting young horses for the future,” Coolmore Australia’s Tom Moore said.
“The calibre of our stallions give breeders a fantastic opportunity to produce a top-class racehorse while we believe the fee levels offer them every chance of a great return in the sales ring.
“We are delighted to welcome Shinzo back to the farm. He’s a fantastic-looking individual and the Golden Slipper has an unmatched record as a sire-making race.”
Champion stallion Fastnet Rock (Danehill) was officially pensioned by Coolmore last week and, just days earlier, it was also announced that Justify (Scat Daddy) – the sire of star two-year-old Storm Boy and top filly Learning To Fly, runner-up in Saturday’s Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – would not be shuttling in 2024.
Justify, though, will cover a select number of elite mares to southern hemisphere time.
The Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner of 2014, Group 1-producing sire Adelaide (Galileo), will also not return to the Coolmore roster in 2024.
Coolmore Australia roster
2024 2023
Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) TBC $93,500
Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) $82,500 $99,000
So You Think (High Chaparral) $82,500 $99,000
Shinzo (Snitzel) $55,000 new
Pierro (Lonhro) $55,000 $82,500
Starspangledbanner (Choisir) $44,000 $33,000
St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) $38,500 $44,000
Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) $22,000 $27,500
King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) $22,000 $27,500
Churchill (Galileo) $19,800 $22,000
Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) $19,250 $27,500
Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) $19,250 $33,000
Acrobat (Fastnet Rock) $13,750 unchanged