By Tom Frary
Watan (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) proved a welcome winner in the six-furlong Nginious! Swiss Gin EBF Maiden S. in the Al Shaqab silks at the meeting the operation has such a major stake in. Showing early speed to race close to the early pace, the 6-1 shot worked his way to the front approaching the furlong pole under Ryan Moore and asserted to score by two lengths from stable companion Dirty Rascal (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). From the first crop of the owner-breeders' sire Toronado, who took the 2013 G1 Qatar Sussex S. here for these connections, he is out of the GI Vinery Madison S. winner Shotgun Gulch (Thunder Gulch) who produced this year's listed-placed Rabdan (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Trainer Richard Hannon said, “This is a very special winner, as he is by Toronado and was bred at Sheikh Joaan's Haras De Bouquetot stud. I didn't really think he would win like that. He has always shown a fair bit, but he had sore shins so we had to wait with him. Ryan [Moore] was very happy with him and he thinks he will get seven furlongs in time. We'll take things step-by-step with him, get him home and have a few days off. I think he could get a mile in time. Hopefully, he is a good one as Sheikh Joaan is due a good one.”
5th-Goodwood, £25,000, Mdn, 7-31, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:12.65, gd.
WATAN (GB) (c, 2, Toronado {Ire}–Shotgun Gulch {GISW-US, $528,976}, by Thunder Gulch) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,688. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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