Woodshauna Prevails In Jean Prat Thriller
By Tom Frary
Providing an instant return on the investment of Resolute Bloodstock, Woodshauna (Wooded) was the one to edge a pulsating four-way go in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Sold for £625,000 at Goffs London by Al Shaqab following his defeat of the subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, the 12-1 shot was able to get between the tight gaps and seize the advantage late for Christophe Soumillon.
“We decided to skip Ascot, as I wanted the horse to be strong for this race and it worked out,” Francis-Henri Graffard said. “He has a lot of speed and I think seven furlongs is the max for him. It's a big step up today. He's a lovely horse with a great attitude and he's improving physically.”
It was not until the last 75 metres that Woodshauna was able to thrust in front of three closely-matched peers and at the line there was a short neck to Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett), with a short head separating that game front-runner and the revived The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) and another neck margin back to Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) in a finish that promised to go several different ways.