Wootton Bassett Pleases Connections in Recent Work

With the official kick off of the three year-old flat campaign in the UK set to unfold in a few weeks time, a number of the leading contenders for the 2000 Guineas have been offering up some scintillating sessions on the morning gallops. Chief among them is Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), a popular outside fancy for the May classic, who put in a fantastic shift on Tuesday morning and it’s clear that connections were certifiably delighted.

A £500,000 earner in his two year-old season, Wootton Bassett had been knocked off the Guineas trail briefly due to a minor setback. He had not cantered for nearly three weeks before getting back on track on Tuesday and a six furlong breeze indicated that he looked back to his old tricks.

Speaking to At The Races, conditioner Richard Fahey declared “He’s moving well and looks fantastic – he’s done very well over the winter.” The popular trainer also firmed up plans that Wootton Bassett would indeed run in the 2000 Guineas.

In his formidable two year-old campaign in the 2010 season, Wootton Bassett ran undefeated in five races though he did not run against leading Guineas fancy Frankel (Galileo). He capped his impressive season with a Group 1 score in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Grand Criterium) at Longchamp in early October. It was clear from his last two races that adding a few extra panels to the distance likely wouldn’t trouble Wootton Bassett and his ability to consistently find more on the run-in could prove decisive in May if Frankel doesn’t live up to expectations.