By Tom Frary
All the rage prior to Wednesday's G3 Prix Texanita, Al Shaqab Racing's Wooded (Ire) continued the strong start to the season for his sire Wootton Bassett (GB) by registering an authoritative success in the Chantilly feature. Dropping to this six-furlong trip for the first time, the G3 Prix la Rochette runner-up was able to easily lay up with the pace set by Juddmonte's filly Alocasia (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and when shaken up readily subdued her with 300 metres remaining. Stretching out with stamina assured from there, the 12-5 favourite hit the line with 3 1/2 lengths to spare, with Alocasia in turn two lengths ahead of My Love's Passion (Fr) (Elvstroem {Aus}) who raced with one other on the far side.
“Last year, in all his races he had shown a lot of speed and so I was tempted to run in this and Pierre-Charles Boudot was also convinced he would do well in sprints,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented. “He won very well indeed and he was quite keen, even over that trip. He quickened very nicely and the little gamble paid off. We know what to do with this horse now and, although there isn't much for tree-year-old sprinters on the French program, if Royal Ascot takes place we'll send him there for [G1] Commonwealth Cup.”
Posting an impressive winning time here, Wooded looks a colt with a future now that he has found his true metier. Campaigned solely over seven furlongs at two, he learnt enough from a debut reversal when second at Dieppe in July to break his maiden at Deauville August before being caught late on when a short-head runner-up to Kenway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp in September. No match for the Charlie Appleby-trained duo King's Command (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Royal Crusade (GB) (Shamardal) when third in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud the following month, the bay looked more in his comfort zone in this sphere and warrants a tilt at the generation's main sprint at the still-unscheduled Royal meeting.
Wooded is the second foal out of the dam, with the first being his talented full-brother Beat Le Bon (GB). Successful in last year's Golden Mile H. at Glorious Goodwood, he was also runner-up in the six-furlong Listed Redcar Two Year Old Trophy while often showing genuine group-class ability. The second dam is the listed-winning and G2 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) runner-up Firm Friend (Ire) (Affirmed), who was also twice group-placed in France. Her speedy sons Fred Lalloupet (GB) (Elusive City) and Mon Pote Le Gitan (Thunder Gulch) were both also successful at listed level and placed in group 3 contests, while this is also the family of the G3 Cornwallis S. and G3 Norfolk S.-winning sire Magic Ring (Ire) (Green Desert). Frida La Blonde's third foal, a daughter of Ajaya (GB), sold for €65,000 at Arqana October, while she also has a yearling filly by Intello (Ger).
Wednesday, Chantilly, France
PRIX TEXANITA-G3, €56,000, Chantilly, 5-13, 3yo, 6fT, 1:08.90, g/s.
1–WOODED (IRE), 125, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Frida La Blonde (Fr), by Elusive City
2nd Dam: Firm Friend (Ire), by Affirmed
3rd Dam: Chere Amie (Fr), by Gay Mecene
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€90,000 Ylg '18 AROCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1, €73,500. *Full to Beat Le Bon (Fr), SP-Eng, $348,824. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alocasia (GB), 121, f, 3, Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)–Portodora, by Kingmambo. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms (GB); T-Henri-Francois Devin. €11,200.
3–My Love's Passion (Fr), 121, f, 3, Elvstroem (Aus)–Amber Two (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (€10,000 Ylg '18 AROCT). O-Passion Racing Club; B-Patrick Chedeville (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €8,400.
Margins: 3HF, 2, 1. Odds: 2.40, 4.70, 7.30.
Also Ran: Abama (Fr), Mutual (Fr), Wanaway (Fr), Bavaria Baby (Fr), Porcelaine (Ire), Xaaros (Fr), Lindy Lou (Fr), Minuty (Fr), Ammobaby (Fr), Gratiane (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
