Al Shaqab Racing-owned Welwal took the Prix De Crevecoeur in Deauville Sunday in fine style.
In the 1,500m race for unraced two-year-olds, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Welwal produced an impressive turn of foot under a fine ride from jockey Cristian Demuro.
With a strong pace being set by Bardolino Demuro was happy to keep Welwal towards the rear as the field took the final bend. Upon entering the home straight, Welwal was angled out wide for a run and closed with purpose on the outside. Blue Boat followed Welwal in his run and the pair drew clear from the 200m pole. Always doing enough to hold Blue Boat, Welwal went on to score by three-quarters-of-a-length. The pair drew four lengths clear of Dreamflight back in third.
Speaking after Welwal’s success, Al Shaqab Racing’s manager Rupert Pritchard-Gordon said, “We were hoping he would run a nice race. The goal was to give him a nice introductory race and Cristian took his time on him. For an unraced maiden they went a nice tempo, which helped. It is great for Shalaa (sire), after Shaikha on Thursday and the colt of Alessandro Botti who ran well too.”
Bred in partnership by Oceanic Bloodstock, A Gravereux and OTI Management, Welwal is by Shalaa who stands at Haras de Bouquetot for Al Shaqab Racing. His dam Cheriearch was a Listed winner at La Teste de Buch and has now produced four individual winners, including Epistrophy who finished third in a Group 3 at ParisLongchamp.
