Undefeated Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Coventry

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday June 21

The Group II Coventry Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot overnight produced a virtual charge of the light brigade with 20 runners doing battle and it was the Coolmore owned Wootton Bassett colt River Tiber that showed his class to take the win.

A brilliant winner of his first two starts in Ireland, the Aidan O’Brien trained colt produced another outstanding effort for Ryan Moore to win by a neck over Shalaa colt Army Ethos with another Wootton Bassett colt Bucanero Fuerte in third place. Givemethebeatboys, who sold for 1.1million pounds at the Goffs London Sale finished fourth.

Advertisement

“He has got plenty of speed, but I would have thought he's going to be a Dewhurst(G1) horse. We got to the start for a 22-runner race and he stood over all of them. He's different class,” said Ryan Moore.

River Tiber has been a natural runner from day one.

“We knew when we started working him, I’d say in February time,” said Aidan O’Brien of the colt who has now won three from three..

“You need the best horse to win the Coventry, that’s the bottom line, and he was never disappointing in any of his work. The stronger the work got, the stronger he became.

“The last piece of work he was doing too well so that was my worry. You could see him through the first part of the race today, he just finds it very easy.”

O’Brien believes River Tiber will ultimately get over further with Guineas races at three the goal.

“We’ve always thought he was a Guineas horse,” O’Brien said.

“When you win a Coventry that’s what you think you have. He’d be very comfortable staying at six furlongs and he could go up to seven whenever because he’s relaxed.

“I think he’d have no problem with a Dewhurst. We probably won’t keep him at six too long, but he’s very comfortable at the moment. Why would you go up when you don’t have to?

“Those very good milers can show you that early because they have to have speed and these horses are big, powerful, rangy horses, whereas the small, compact horses show speed but often don’t carry it on.”

River Tiber was the highest priced colt by his sire at Tattersalls October Book 1.

River Tiber was purchased for 480,000 guineas from Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale and was the highest priced colt by Wootton Bassett sold at that sale. Bred by Pier House Stud, he is the first winner from Transcendence, an unraced half-sister by Oasis Dream stallion Arcano to stakes-winners Mister Manannan and Shermeen, the dam of Group I winning 2YO Sudirman.

He is one of eight two year-old winners from 12 starters this year in Europe for Wootton Bassett, whose better bred crops of foals are poised for lift off.

River Tiber is 33rd stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett, who is priced this spring at $93,500 with his first Australian bred yearlings to sell in 2024.

Visit the profile page for Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett in upcoming sales:
Advertisment
More Reading...
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.
One to Watch – Sha Tin – You Don’t See That Every Day!
The Mark Newnham stable has been on fire in Hong Kong since the start of the new season and the former Sydney trainer produced a super promising winner at Sha Tin on Sunday by Capitalist that did everything wrong and miraculously still won the race!
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
First Winner for King of Comedy
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy (IRE) is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Impressive First winner for Armory
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale (November 12 and 13) is online with breeze up video now in place and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Melbourne Cup Dream Alive for Kiwi Stayers
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav.