By Tom Frary
Looking to have turned a corner when winning the 12-furlong G3 Prix d'Hedouville at ParisLongchamp May 6, TDN Rising Star Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) stayed on an upward trajectory with a clear-cut success in Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. Settled third early by Pierre-Charles Boudot, last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up led passing the two-furlong pole and stayed on strongly to win by three lengths from Dschingis Secret (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) as the 5-2 second favourite.
Owner-breeder Dietrich von Boetticher said, “He was already a good horse last year, but some horses take time to mature and he is one of them. He looked great today and did it nicely. I have dreams, but I don't want to talk about the future as sometimes that brings bad luck. Andre Fabre says he will run next in the [July 1 G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”
Waldgeist was only a short head away from Classic success when Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) got the better of the photo for this card's Classic a year ago, having won the previous year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. His subsequent fourth in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh, second in Ascot's G3 Cumberland Lodge S. and fourth in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern at Munich dampened enthusiasm for Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park Stud's chestnut. After a return fifth in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt at ParisLongchamp Apr. 8, he has come of age and is blossoming into the horse connections always hoped he would become.
Pedigree Notes…
Waldgeist is the first foal out of the G3 Prix Penelope winner Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), who is a half-sister to the G1 St Leger hero Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Their dam Waldmark (Ger) (Mark of Esteem {GB}) was runner-up in the G2 Falmouth S. and is a daughter of the four-times group-winning German champion Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), whose other progeny includes the G1 Deutsches Derby hero Waldpark (Ger) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also linked to the six times group-winning sire Wiesenpfad (Fr) (Waky Nao {GB}) and the G1 Preis der Diana third Waldtraut (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Waldlerche is also responsible for the 3-year-old filly Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) who was unlucky in this card's G3 Prix de Royaumont, while she also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt by Sea the Stars (Ire) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
GRAND PRIX DE CHANTILLY-G2, €130,000, Chantilly, 6-3, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:29.49, sf.
1–WALDGEIST (GB), 126, c, 4, 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)
'TDN Rising Star'. O-Gestut Ammerland & Newsells Park Stud;
B-Waldlerche Partnership (GB); T-Andre Fabre;
J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr &
GSP-Eng, 11-4-3-2, €740,567. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dschingis Secret (Ger), 132, c, 4, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Divya
(Ger), by Platini (Ger). O-Horst Pudwill; B-Gestut Park
Wiedingen (GER); T-Markus Klug. €28,600.
3–Way to Paris (GB), 126, h, 5, Champs Elysees (GB)–Grey Way,
by Cozzene. (50,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Paolo Ferrario;
B-Grundy Bloodstock SRL (GB); T-Andrea Marcialis. €13,650.
Margins: 3, NO, HF. Odds: 2.50, 10.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Rare Rhythm (GB), Finche (GB), Cloth of Stars (Ire), Tiberian (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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