Shuttling to Coolmore Australia this spring, Wootton Bassett (GB) featured overnight in the UK with an exciting new two year-old stakes-winner in Royal Patronage, who took out the Group III Acomb Stakes (7f) at York.
Trained by Mark Johnston, Royal Patronage as having his fourth start having shown good improvement at each of his three previous runs most recently a five length win at Epsom.
Trying stakes company for the first time, he rose to the challenge powering clear to win by more than two lengths.
“Royal Patronage was the most exposed horse in the race, but we brought him here to the Dante meeting, which shows we thought very, very highly of him at that stage,” said Mark Johnston.
“He was beaten over six furlongs first time out, ran well second time at Sandown and then showed us what we always thought of him at Epsom. We'll go home and think about targets.
“On pedigree the horse will clearly stay further. I was asked whether he's a Guineas horse, it may be he's more a Dante horse but time will tell.”
Purchased for 62,000 guineas from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by Jake and John Warren for Highclere Racing, Royal Patronage is the first winner for Shaloushka, a winning three-quarter-sister by Dalakhani to Irish Derby place-getter Shalapour from the family of champion 3YO Shahrastani.
Royal Patronage is the 20th stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett, who stands this spring at a fee of $71,500.
