King Shalaa is the second SW for Shalaa winning Sunday’s Listed Prix de la Californie (1600m) at Cagnes-sur-Mer.
King Shalaa drove through along the inside shortly after the start and then made all the running, clear around the final turn and staying on gamely to hold Fort Payne (Rio de la Plata) to score by half a length with Summiter (Bated Breath) a head off third.
A 110,000 Arqana October yearling, King Shalaa is unbeaten in three starts and was bred by his trainer Francois Rohaut.
He is a half-brother to last year’s Listed Prix Maurice Caillault scorer Waltham (Wootton Bassett), subsequently sold to race in Hong Kong.
Their dam Baki (Turtle Bowl) won twice in France and a half-sister to three stakes winners including Prix Finlande winner and Gr1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches runner-up Baine (Country Reel), the dam herself of Gr3 Premio Parioli second Qatar Dream (Makfi)
The third-dam Balouchina (Rainbow Quest) is a winning sister to the Gr1 Prix Robert Papin winner Balbonella (Gay Mecene), the dam of Champion sprinter Anabaa (Danzig) and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Always Loyal (Zilzal).
Gr1 winner Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) shuttles between the Haras de Bouquetot in France and Arrowfield Stud in Australia where his first-crop includes stakes winner Shaquero.