Wootton Basett has moved into Galileo territory following news released on Tuesday that his stud fee for 2025 will rise by 50% to €300,000.

Acquired from France by Coolmore Stud ahead of the 2021 season, Wootton Bassett (by Iffraaj, a son of the Gone West horse Zafonic) he was pitched as an ideal outcross for Northern Dancer line mares and he had proven himself in France where his standout performer was French Derby-Champion Stakes hero Almanzor.

Wootton Bassett started his Irish stud career at a fee of €100,000. The price rose to €150,000 in 2022 and then to €200,000 for 2024. King Of Steel, Al Riffa, Audarya, Wooded and Bucanero Fuerte were among his most memorable Group 1 winners in recent seasons.

Now the 16-year-old horse has enjoyed remarkable results on the track this year with his first Irish-bred crop which includes four Group 1 winners - Henri Matisse, Twain, Tennessee Stud and Camille Pissarro.

Just last month Amo Racing paid 4.3 million guineas at Tattersalls for a Wootton Bassett yearling colt.

New recruits

The other big news in Coolmore Stud's statement of 2025 stallion fees concerns new recruits Auguste Rodin, City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow.

City Of Troy has been put in at €75,000. By US Triple Crown winner Justify out of Group 1 scorer Together Forever (by Galileo), City Of Troy is sure to be crowned European champion three-year-old by virtue of his victories in the Derby, Eclipse and International. He was also European champion two-year-old.

A sporting gamble taken by connections to run the horse on dirt last Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar failed to come off but trainer Aidan O'Brien remains on record as saying City Of Troy was the best he has ever trained.

Auguste Rodin has not been retired yet and is due to have his final race in the Japan Cup on November 24th. He will start his stud career at a fee of €30,000.

The dual Derby winner has won six Group 1 races to-date, including the Futurity Trophy as a juvenile, the Irish Champion Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf.

By Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin is out of triple Group 1 winner Rhododendron (by Galileo).

Breeders can use Henry Longfellow for €15,000. Winner of the Group 1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at two, the Dubawi colt is out of seven-time Group 1 winner Minding (by Galileo) and kept the best of company this season. He got within a neck of Rosallion in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Coolmore's David O'Loughlin said: “Coolmore are delighted to welcome three outstanding new prospects for 2025. City of Troy has long been the apple of Aidan O’Brien’s eye who couldn’t be more positive on his sire Justify. He was an outstanding two-year-old and again proved by far the best of his generation this year.

"Auguste Rodin must be the best value horse in Europe at €30,000 and is a fantastic-looking individual. Six Group 1 successes at two, three and four years, he’s by a sensational stallion in Deep Impact while his first three dams all performed at the highest level over a mile or less.

"Henry Longfellow also offers tremendous value at just €15,000. Like his sire Dubawi, he went unbeaten in three starts at two including the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, and he’s arguably his best-looking son ever to retire to stud.

"He showed top class form over a mile this season most notably when going down by just a neck to Rosallion in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes. And to cap it all, he’s out of one of the best Galileo mares of all time and bred on the same cross as Night of Thunder.”

Fee increases

Of the other 16 stallions on the Coolmore roster for 2024, three have had fee increases.

Camelot (sire of Arc winner Bluestocking and Irish Derby winner Los Angeles) goes from €50,000 to €75,000. Sioux Nation rises to €30,000 from €27,500, on the back of a string of pattern race victories for his daughters including Oujda, Coto De Caza and Ocean Jewel. Gleneagles has also earned a jump from €17,500 to €20,000, thanks to July Cup winner Mill Stream, Royal Ascot sensation Calandagan and Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly.

Coolmore have held steady on the fees for Calyx (€12,500), Footstepsinthesand (€8,000), Holy Roman Emperor (€8,000) and Starspangledbanner (€45,000).

Nine stallions get a price trim for 2025, the highest priced one being No Nay Never who has been lowered from €150,000 to €125,000.

Paddington was €55,000 for his first season this year and comes right down to €25,000, even before his first foals have been born. The fees for Saxon Warrior (€15,000) and Australia (€10,000) have practically halved, while there has also been a significant reduction in the fee for Little Big Bear (€20,000), who was €27,500 in his first season this year.

There has been a marginal easing in the fees for Blackbeard (€17,500), Churchill (€25,000), St Mark's Basilica (€40,000) and The Antarctic (€5,000).

Arizona and Ten Sovereigns will not be standing at Coolmore Stud next season.

COOLMORE STUD FEES

Stallion 2025 fee (2024 in brackets)

Auguste Rodin €30,000 (new)

Australia €10,000 (€17,500)

Blackbeard €17,500 (€20,000)

Calyx €12,500 (same)

Camelot €75,000 (€50,000)

Churchill €25,000 (€30,000)

City Of Troy €75,000 (new)

Footstepsinthesand €8,000 (same)

Gleneagles €20,000 (€17,500)

Henry Longfellow €15,000 (new)

Holy Roman Emperor €8,000 (same)

Little Big Bear €20,000 (€27,500)

No Nay Never €125,000 (€150,000)

Paddington €25,000 (€55,000)

Saxon Warrior €15,000 (€25,000)

Sioux Nation €30,000 (€27,500)

St Mark's Basilica €40,000 (€50,000)

Starspangledbanner €45,000 (same)

The Antarctic €5,000 (€6,000)

Wootton Bassett €300,000 (€200,000)