Shalaa's Welwal On Top In The Fontainebleau

Al Shaqab Racing's €80,000 Arqana September graduate Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}, who snagged two of three juvenile outings last term, went postward for Sunday's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at ParisLongchamp coming back off a Mar. 22 conditions second at Chantilly and was comfortably on top at the end of the one-mile test. Steadied to race behind the leaders in sixth for the most part, the 28-5 chance made headway under pressure in the straight to challenge with 300 metres remaining and was ridden out in the dying embers to deny Mathletic (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) by a neck for a career high.

Welwal is the fifth of seven foals and one of five winners from as many runners produced by Listed Prix La Sorellina victrix Cheriearch (Arch), herself a half-sister to Listed Premio Bereguardo winner Cherisy (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) out of stakes-winning GIII Landaluce S. runner-up Cherish Destiny (Grand Slam). The March-foaled bay is a half-brother to G3 Prix de la Grotte third Epistrophy (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), a 2-year-old colt by Roaring Lion and a yearling colt by Calyx (GB).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE FONTAINEBLEAU-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-17, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:38.17, g/s.
1–WELWAL (GB), 128, c, 3, Shalaa (Ire)
1st Dam: Cheriearch (SW-Fr), by Arch
2nd Dam: Cherish Destiny, by Grand Slam
3rd Dam: Silver Hiawatha, by Silver Buck
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€80,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Oceanic Bloodstock SARL, Mme Ariane Gravereaux & OTI Management Pty Ltd (GB); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, €83,610. *1/2 to Epistrophy (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), GSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mathletic (Fr), 128, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Manerbe, by Unbridled's Song. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€220,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Ama.Zingteam; B-Ecurie des Monceaux (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000.
3–Making Moovies (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dabirsim (Fr)–Grace Lady (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB). O-Ecurie Hugo & Pierre Pilarski & Jean-Philippe Dubois; B-Jean-Philippe Dubois (IRE); T-Didier Guillemin. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, SNK. Odds: 5.60, 8.20, 4.40.
Also Ran: Texas (Fr), Vadeni (Fr), Ancient Rome, Haya Zark (Fr), Onesto (Ire), Hauran (Fr), Westminster Night (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.