Wootton Bassett to Shuttle Again as Coolmore Australia Announce 2025 Fees

[Wandering Eyes]

Sunday evening saw Coolmore Australia unveil its much-anticipated 2025 fees and roster, including three new Group 1-winning stallions in City Of Troy, Private Life (Aus) and Switzerland (Aus). It was also confirmed that Wootton Bassett (GB) will continue to shuttle, with a fee still to be announced.

“Wootton Bassett is the hottest stallion in the world at the moment and he is already making an undeniable mark on the breed in Australia,” said Coolmore's Tom Magnier.

“What is most exciting about him in an Australian context is that he has 100 unraced two-year-olds from his first crop and every trainer we speak to seems to have a good one. His fee is yet to be confirmed but will be announced in due course. We're just excited to have him back again, as we see him as a Champion Sire of the future in Australia.”

Coolmore had already announced the arrival of G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes hero Switzerland at a fee of A$60,500, while European Horse of the Year City Of Troy is set to join Wootton Bassett in shuttling from County Tipperary. It was revealed last month that the four-time Group 1 winner will stand for a fee of A$49,500.

Completing the trio of newcomers is the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life, who has been introduced at a fee of A$19,250.

“Private Life is not only an immensely talented colt, but one of the best-looking stallions we have had in the barn at Jerry's Plains in my time,” said Coolmore Australia's racing manager, John Kennedy. “He is an absolute standout and breeders are going to love him when they see him. If he leaves stock that look like himself, breeders can expect a quick return.

“The [Chris] Waller stable always knew that he had serious Group 1 ability and that was clear when he defeated Feroce and Broadsiding in the Caulfield Guineas, but he also got within 1.2l of Sunshine In Paris in the Champions Sprint where he should have finished much closer and beat home horses like Giga Kick and Overpass.”

Of the other stallions on the 13-strong roster, Home Affairs (Aus) is the most expensive at an unchanged fee of A$82,500, ahead of Shinzo (Aus), So You Think (NZ) and another shuttle stallion in St Mark's Basilica (Fr). Shinzo and St Mark's Basilica both remain at their 2024 fees at A$55,000 and A$38,500, respectively, while So You Think has dropped from A$77,000 to A$44,000.

Magnier added, “The 2025 Coolmore Australia stallion roster is one of immense quality, that we are extremely proud to offer to breeders throughout Australia and New Zealand. We thought long and hard when setting our fees this year, with a strong focus on offering value to breeders. We understand that people are doing it tough, but we want to work with them and see them prosper.”

The post Wootton Bassett to Shuttle Again as Coolmore Australia Announce 2025 Fees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article