Fontainebleau: Welwal wins first Group race

April 17, 2022, ParisLongchamp racecourse (Paris). - For his first test in a Group race, his 4th race so far just after a come back four weeks ago when second over the Chantilly all-weather, Welwal (Shalaa) dominated in the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3). The Al Shaqab Racing colt, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, moved forward going out of the bend, and finally got the better of the leader  Mathletic (Kingman), only beaten a neck, a length ahead of a fast-finishing Making Moovies (Dabirsim), who came from the rear to rip Texas (Wootton Bassett) off the 3rd-place.

Welwal had been beaten by Junko for his return, and his victor won again on the same card here, over the Prix Noailles (Gr3) extended 1m2f trip.

Bought for €80,000 at Deauville by Mandore International (Nicolas de Watrigant), Welwal was consigned there by Haras des Capucines for breeders Oceanic Bloodstock, Ariane Gravereaux and OTI Management. The same team sold his Roaring Lion brother (another Al Shaqab sire), for whom David Redvers went to €300,000. The colt is now in Britain.

The winning dam Cheriearch (Arch), a Us-bred, was unsold as a yearling at Keeneland, and at 4 at Tattersalls after a good racing career in France with trainer Luis Urbano-Grajales, who got her to win the Prix La Sorellina (L) at 3. She was finally sold for €260,000 to Haras des Capucines, in foal to Holy Roman Emperor, in December 2014, at 5. Her 5 first foals all won, the third one, Epistrophy (Charm Spirit), having finished third in… the Prix de la Grotte (Gr3)! It was, however, her last race before being exported to Japan.

After Welwal and the Roaring Lion colt, Cheriearch gave a Calyx colt.