Bassett set to bow out as Quinn flies Yorkshire flag in France

Even though the colt won all five starts last season, including the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp’s Arc meeting 11 months ago, he has failed to be placed in any of his four starts this year.

A niggling training setback meant the horse – named in honour of the Wiltshire town that did so much to pay homage to Britain’s fallen service personnel – missed the 2000 Guineas, his intended Spring target.

Wootton Bassett failed to sparkle over a mile, including a seventh place finish behind Sir Henry Cecil’s invincible Frankel at Royal Ascot.

A drop back in trip has also not worked – Fahey’s charge, the best horse that champion jockey Paul Hanagan has ridden, was a disappointing 13th to Dream Ahead in the six furlong Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock 10 days ago.

Though the ground was probably too fast as Dream Ahead survived a stewards’ inquiry to deny the Mick Easterby-trained Hoof It, Fahey has admitted that the colt may be retired if his form is not rekindled.

“Wootton Bassett’s run in the Betfred Sprint Cup was a big disappointment,” Fahey wrote on his sportinglife.com blog.

“We’re not giving up on him yet but he’s starting to run out of chances and it may be that we look into sending him to cover some mares.

“As I say, we’re certainly not going to give up on him, but retirement is something that we’ve got to seriously consider if he keeps running races like he did.”

Though the Longchamp victory was a long-awaited first Group One triumph for Fahey and Hanagan, the horse’s most lucrative pay day came at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting 12 months ago when he powered to victory in the Weatherbys Insurance Stakes.

However, there could be another Yorkshire winner of this year’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere after Fahey’s rival Malton trainer John Quinn confirmed that he intends to send the promising Red Duke to France before heading to the Breeders’ Cup meeting in America.

Quinn’s colt finished an honourable second in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday, and connections have ambitious targets.

“He’s fit and well and didn’t lose any weight after the race,” said Peter Clay, spokesman for owners, Maxilead Limited. “He’s a very consistent horse and there’s been a lot of interest in him, but you can’t put a price on dreams.

“We had everything we wanted at Doncaster but, although you can’t take anything away from the winner, Trumpet Major, he was maybe a bit unlucky.

“The timing of the race in France is perfect, but it’s just whether the ground goes soft or not. The race in America will also be perfect as he’ll get a fast pace – I think he’ll be in the first three.”

Connections have already seen enough from Red Duke to anticipate a potential Classic future for the two-year-old son of Hard Spun.

Clay added: “We do believe that he won’t be out of place in the Guineas next year.”

Meanwhile the aforementioned Hoof It – co-owned by Sheriff Hutton-based Easterby, golfer Lee Westwood and sports agent Chubby Chandler – will miss Saturday’s William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, for which he was the general 10-1 favourite.

The four-year-old, who defied top weight to win the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood, had been due to carry a huge weight of 10st 5lb for the sprint.

However, he was one of 34 horses taken out at the latest confirmation stage, with the Prix de l’Abbaye – Europe’s pre-eminent race for sprinters, and also staged on Arc day at Longchamp – a possible target for Hoof It.

The imposing four-year-old is also entered for the inaugural Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes that will be staged at Ascot on October 15.

And although it remains unclear whether Masked Marvel, the impressive winner of the Ladbrokes St Leger, will contest the Qipco championship race for stayers, connections have confirmed that the John Gosden-trained colt will stay in training next year.

They believe the powerful son of Montjeu is not yet the finished article after pulling clear of a strong field.

Jeremy Brummitt, racing manager for Masked Marvel’s owner, the financier Björn Nielsen, said: “I may be biased, but even in the Derby when he was eighth, I felt the horse looked the most likely to make into the best four-year-old.

“I haven’t discussed with John what we’re going to do next this year. Our main aim is to make sure the horse has his normal regime until John comes back from the Keeneland sales in America.

“He’s always looked a big, scopey horse that could only improve with age. Another 12 months on his back, and he may be capable of even greater things.”

Although Masked Marvel was in his element over the Leger’s mile and three-quarters at Doncaster, Brummitt is adamant the step up in trip was not the defining factor behind his rise to the top.

He added: “I had no concerns about the trip, but I don’t feel Masked Marvel is an out-and-out stayer.

“It would be wrong to assume the extra distance has brought about the improvement – it was the timing of the race, the preparation in the build-up to the race and his growing sense of maturity.

“At the weekend, he would have won a St Leger if it was run over a mile-and-a-quarter. John has planned for the Leger meticulously, and William Buick executed it really well.

“Because he was racing into a strong head-wind, it was important to hold on as long as we could. This horse clearly benefits from such patience.”