The Al Shaqab Racing owned colt CARACAL (Zelzal x Caramanta) showed plenty of class on debut and finished strongly to take the Prix du Chateau Peychaud at Bordeaux-Le-Bouscat on Sunday, September 19th.
Trained by Jean Claude Rouget and ridden by Jean-Bernard Eyquem, two-year-old CARACAL looked smart and took the 1,600m contest, reserved to unraced colts and geldings, with ease.
Slowly out of the stalls, CARACAL was forced towards the back of the field through the first part of the race and travelled keenly under Eyquem. SQUARE CAPTAIN (Iffraaj) took the field along through the early stages and set a relatively steady pace. At halfway, CARACAL had only one of his eight rivals behind and spotted the leader around eight lengths. The colt began to make some ground as the field turned for home and he was angled out wide around 400m from home. Showing an excellent turn of foot, CARACAL quickly closed on the leaders under hands and heels. Inside the final 200m, he had the company of INUIT (Carravagio), but soon got the better of that rival and went on to score by a comfortable two-length margin. Stablemate to the winner ALCARAZ (Intello) showed a good attitude and finished third.
“He has always shown plenty in the mornings and now he has done it on the track”, said winning jockey Jean-Bernard Eyquem after the race, “We didn’t go very fast and to win in a sprint finish wouldn’t have been easy from that position. Once he has a bit more experience, I think he can go far.”
Caracal is by in-form Haras de Bouqueot stallion ZELZAL (Sea The Stars). His dam CARAMANTA (Zamindar) was unraced, but she is out of the Listed placed CLODOVINA (Rock Of Gibralter). CLODOVINA is a half-sister to CANNDAL (Medicean), who finished second in the Group 1 Belmont Derby.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club