Wootton Bassett sires third Group 1 winner
The now Coolmore Stud-based sire Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) was handed his third Group 1 winner as Wooded (3 c ex Frida la Blonde by Elusive City) prevailed in a close finish to win the Prix De L’Abbaye De Longchamp (Gr 1, 1000m) on Sunday.
A winner of the Prix Texanita (Gr 3, 1200m) in May, the three-year-old colt stayed on strongly to beat last year’s winner Glass Slippers (Dream Ahead) by a neck, while Liberty Beach - who is by Woodside Park shuttler Cable Bay (Invincible Spirit) - was another short-neck away in third.
Purchased by Al Shaqab Racing for €90,000 at the 2018 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale, Wooded is out of Frida La Blonde (Elusive City), making him a brother to stakes-placed Beat Le Bon.
Frida La Blonde herself is out of Listed winner Firm Friend (Affirmed) who is also the dam of Listed-winning duo Fred Lalloupet (Elusive City) and Mon Pote Le Gitan (Thunder Gulch), while further back this is the family of Listed-winning Maximum Aurelius (Showcasing).
Wootton Bassett stood at Haras d'Etreham for nine seasons before being purchased by the global powerhouse Coolmore and Wooded joins Audarya and Almanzor as the stallion’s other elite level winners. Almanzor shuttles to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and he is currently standing for a fee of NZ$30,000 (plus GST).
#ParisLongchamp
— Equidia (@equidia) October 4, 2020
Wooded (@PCBOUDOT - @GraffardRacing) devance la tenante du titre, Glass Slippers, dans le Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Gr.1). Liberty Beach est troisième.
C'est la cinquième victoire dans cette course en 40 ans. pic.twitter.com/69o6viTTXx
