WALDGEIST covered triple-digit books of mares in his first two seasons, the offspring of which have averaged some €55,000 as yearlings, and last year’s offerings included three who sold for 100,000gns or more. He also had a two-year-old, Sous Le Soleil, who was purchased as a classic hope by Richard Ryan for €360,000.

His yearlings last year were bought on the back of Waldgeist (Galileo) having his first runners, and James Ferguson was the man who saddled his first winner, Billiegee. Given his overall profile, most would expect that Waldgeist will prove more successful when he runners turn three, and already this year he has shown that there is much to anticipate in the months ahead.

Waldgeist is a son of the phenomenal Galileo (Sadler’s Wells). The list of Galileo stallions with at least one Group/Grade 1 winner on the flat is too long to reproduce here.

Secondly, Waldgeist’s family seems to have at least one notable winner pretty much every year. His siblings include Waldkonig (by Kingman) who landed the Group 3 Gordon Richard Stakes, while their half-sister Waldlied (New Approach) is a winner of the Group 2 Prix de Mallaret. Their Group 3-winning dam Waldlerche (Monsun) is a half-sister to the Group 1 St Leger winner Masked Marvel (Montjeu).

On top of this, Waldgeist has an outstanding race record. His juvenile season saw him beat the multiple Group 1-star Best Solution in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. He was short-headed by Brametot in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby at three.

Waldgeist won four pattern races in a row as a four-year-old, the runner-up in the first three already or subsequently a Group 1-scorer. Those were all over 12 furlongs, the Group 3 Prix d’Hedouville, Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Group 2 Prix Foy, and were the lead-up to his first attempt at the Arc.

He finished an honourable fourth to Enable that Sunday in October but would flip that one-and-three-quarter-length margin around 12 months later, ending his career in a blaze of glory and denying the champion a unique treble.

That final season included another Prix Foy victory, this time beating old rival Way To Paris, but also a wide-margin defeat of Study Of Man in the Group 1 Prix Ganay over 10 and a half furlongs, which preceded his third to Crystal Ocean and Magical in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes over 10 furlongs at Ascot.

Race record

WALDGEIST (GB), Chesnut 2014. Jt Champion older horse in Europe in 2019. Champion older horse in France in 2019. Won nine races, £4,298,560, from 1 mile to 1½ miles, 2 to 5 years including, Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, Gr.1, Prix Ganay, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Parislongchamp, Gr.1, Grand Prix de Chantilly, Chantilly, Gr.2, Qatar Prix Foy, Parislongchamp, Gr.2 (twice), Prix d’Hedouville, Parislongchamp, Gr.3, also placed second in Qipco Prix du Jockey Club, Chantilly, Gr.1, Prix Greffulhe, Saint-Cloud, Gr.2, Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes, Ascot, Gr.3, and third in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Prix de Conde, Chantilly, Gr.3.

At stud

Retired to stud in 2020, and sire of 5 winners, of 6 races, and £70,656, including Walop De L’Alguer (Ire), Billiegee (Ire), Griffe (Ire), May It Be (Ire), and Forest Fairy (Ire).

Information

Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, R95 DK51, Ireland.

Contact: John O’Connor, Eoin Fives (nominations)

Telephone: +353 56 7724217

Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie or eoin@ballylinchstud.ie

Web: www.ballylinchstud.ie

Fee: €10,000