The arrival of Almanzor at Cambridge Stud on Friday in preparation for his third Southern Hemisphere breeding season coincided with a major announcement from Coolmore Stud overnight.
Coolmore announced that they have purchased Almanzor’s sire Wootton Bassett from Haras d’Etreham and he will take up residence at the international powerhouse’s Irish base.
The announcement of Wootton Bassett’s sale and departure for Coolmore vindicates the decision made by Cambridge Stud in 2018 to purchase the Southern Hemisphere rights to his best son, the European Champion three-year-old of 2016, Almanzor.
At the time, Wootton Bassett stood in France for a fee of €20,000 off the back of Almanzor’s record and was embarking on his fourth racing season with a relatively small crop of three-year-olds. However, he continued to produce Group One performers and stakes winners over the next two years, from relatively small crops, and his fee in 2020 had risen to €40,000.
“Wootton Bassett’s sale to Coolmore reflects the esteem in which he is held in Europe and we are delighted to be standing his best son Almanzor at Cambridge,” said Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre.
“Our thanks go to those shareholders who supported us in what was, at the time, a leap of faith for Cambridge Stud under its new ownership and the New Zealand industry.
“Almanzor has covered two full books of mares in his first two years at stud in New Zealand and will cover a full book again in 2020. His first crop of foals in both hemispheres are outstanding.” - NZ Racing Desk
