BORN TO BE WALD
Having earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with an impressive debut score at Chantilly last month, Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) ran third to Frankuus (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Prinz Hlodowig (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) in the Oct. 8 G3 Prix de Conde back there Oct. 8, and was resolute in his application to claim glory in Sunday's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. The chestnut, who was complicit in providing Pierre-Charles Boudot with a measure of redemption after the rider parted ways with Capchop (Fr) (Captain Chop {Ire}) in the earlier G1 Criterium International, found a smooth rhythm under cover and raced within range of the pace throughout. Accepting minor bumps and shuffled back places after easing wide at the top of the straight, the 37-10 chance came under pressure inside the final quarter mile and burst clear once launching his bid at the eighth pole to prevail by a length from Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), with 6-4 favourite Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a half-length back in third. “He had excuses for his defeat in the Conde, having suffered a troubled run, and has done nothing but improve since,” said trainer Andre Fabre after registering a sixth renewal of France's final Group 1 contest of the year. “He is of course finished for the season, his programme is all set for next year and a Classic campaign is on the agenda. With that in mind, I recently gave him an entry in the [G1] Irish Derby.”
Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €250,000, SCD, 10-30, 2yo, c/f, 10fT, 2:12.73, sf.
1–#@&WALDGEIST (GB), 126, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Waldlerche (GB) (GSW-Fr & SP-Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Waldmark (Ger), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Wurftaube (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
O-Gestut Ammerland, Newsells Park Stud, Michael Tabor & Susan Magnier; B-Waldlerche Partnership (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, €168,350. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Best Solution (Ire), 126, c, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (32,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; 90,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. €57,150.
3–Capri (Ire), 126, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Dialafara (Fr), by Anabaa. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: 1, HF, NK. Odds: 3.70, 5.70, 1.50.
Also Ran: Douglas Macarthur (Ire), Taj Mahal (Ire), Prinz Hlodowig (Fr), Cunco (Ire), Frankuus (Ire), Wings of Eagles (Fr), Warring States (Jpn), D'bai (Ire), Rich Legacy (Ire), Rekindling (GB).
Waldgeist, half to a yearling filly by New Approach (Ire) and a colt foal by Sea the Stars (Ire), is the first stakes scorer produced by G3 Prix Penelope victress Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), herself a half-sister to G1 St Leger-winning British highweight stayer Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the stakes-winning Waldnah (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). The chestnut's second dam is G2 Falmouth S. runner-up Waldmark (Ger) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}), who is a half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}) and a full-sister to the dam of MGSW sire Wiesenpfad (Fr) (Waky Nao {GB}), from a family which includes this year's GI Man o' War S. victor Wake Forest (Ger) (Sir Percy {GB}).
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