STAR Ryedale performer Wootton Bassett, who was recently retired from racing, has returned to France where he celebrated the greatest day of his career.

The Richard Fahey-trained colt, who won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp just over 12 months ago, is to stand as a stallion at the famous Haras d’Etreham stud in Normandy.

Unbeaten in five races as a juvenile, when his earnings exceeded £500,000, Wootton Bassett gained jackpot-sized victories in sales races at York and Doncaster. But it was his Longchamp success, achieved in typical pillar-to-post style, which will live longest in the memory as he provided Malton pair Fahey and jockey Paul Hanagan with their first Group 1 triumph.

“That was a great day,”

remembers Fahey, while Hanagan recalls: “The reception we got when we came back to the unsaddling enclosure after the race was unbelievable. It sent the hairs up on the back of your neck.”

Wootton Bassett, who was rated the third-top juvenile of 2010 behind Frankel and Dream Ahead, returned twice more to France this year, finishing a game fifth in the French 2,000 Guineas in May and occupying the same position in the Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville in August. In four outings as a three-year-old, however, he proved unable to recapture the brilliance of last year and, consequently, it was decided to retire him to stud.

Fahey said: “I am very happy he is standing in France, where he was the champion two-year-old. He will have every chance there and I am looking forward to training his progeny. He’s a very good-looking horse, an extremely talented two-year-old with great speed and class, and a fantastic temperament. He was also very tough as he showed by winning five races in three months. He was a pleasure to train.”

Nicolas de Chambure, of Etreham, said: “We are very pleased to stand Wootton Bassett.

“He was a champion at two and is a really nice horse with great presence.

“We are greatly looking forward to showing him to our breeders.”