WHAT a start the Monsun (Konigsstuhl) mare Waldlerche has made at stud. Last weekend her son and first foal Waldgeist (Galileo) won his second Group 1 when he narrowly landed the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, on the same card that saw his year younger sibling Waldlied (New Approach) win the Group 2 Prix de Malleret. Maybe the latter will successfully step up and annex a Group 1 in time.

While this pair are putting the name of their dam in lights, waiting in the wings are a two-year-old Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) colt, a yearling son of Kingman (Invincible Spirit) and a filly foal by Galileo (Sadler’s Wells). The Kingman will go to the sales this year.

Their dam Waldlerche won once but that victory came in the Group 3 Prix Penelope, while she was runner-up in a listed race in Germany. She was ante-post favourite for the French Oaks, the Prix de Diane.

Bred in partnership by Gestut Ammerland’s Dietrich von Boetticher, in whose colours he races, and Coolmore, Waldgeist was foaled at Newsells Park Stud and it was Andreas Jacob’s Hertfordshire stud that bred his dam. Newsells and Gestut Ammerland in partnership bred Waldlied and the subsequent offspring.

Newsells Park Stud’s general manager Julian Dollar said that Waldgeist’s grandam, the Group 2 placed Waldmark (Mark Of Esteem), was the late Klaus Jacobs’ favourite mare. In addition to Waldlerche, she bred the Group 1 St Leger winner Masked Marvel (Montjeu) and the German stakes winner Waldnah (New Approach). After foaling the latter in 2012, she has no recorded offspring until a filly born in 2017 by Frankel (Galileo).

Waldmark’s dam Wurftaube is a daughter of Acatenango (Surumu) and she was one of the best of her generation in Germany where she won seven of her 10 starts, notably running away with the Group 2 St Leger.

She was a Group 1 runner-up and has also been very successful at stud where her best offspring has been the Group 1 German Derby winner Waldpark (Dubawi). Other successful progeny include the classic-placed stakes winner Waldvogal (Polish Precedent).

Wurftaube’s stakes-placed half-sister Wurfspiel (Lomitas) is the dam of Wake Forest (Sir Percy) and he is still plying his trade in the USA where he won the Grade 1 Man O’War Stakes.