THE French classic winners Lope De Vega, New Bay and Make Believe have been joined at Ballylinch Stud in Co Kilkenny this year by another champion trained by Andre Fabre, the imposing chesnut Waldgeist who sensationally defeated Enable in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Considering his excellent pedigree and that he scored in three other Group 1 events and amassed earnings of £4,298,559, Waldgeist would seem to be exceptionally good value at his fee of €17,500.

Yet another Group 1 star sired by Galileo, Waldgeist is from a very strong German family on his dam’s side and his name means Spirit of the Forest in German.

A half-brother to the 2018 Group 2 Prix de Malleret victress Waldlied, he the first foal of Waldlerche who scored in the Group 3 Prix Penelope and is a half sister to European champion stayer Masked Marvel, winner of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster in 2011.

After beating 14 rivals on his debut at Chantilly in September 2016, Waldgeist was third in the Group 3 Prix de Conde before ending that season with victory in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, defeating Capri and Wings Of Eagles.

Although he failed to win in 2017, he was placed in all his five starts, including second to Brametot in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey-Club-French Derby beaten only a short head, and a close fourth to Capri, Cracksman and Wings Of Eagles in the Group 1 Irish Derby.

Waldgeist won four consecutive group races as a four-year-old in 2018, starting with the Group 3 Prix d’Hedouville at Longchamp in May, followed by the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly before defeating Coronet in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in July. He completed a four-timer in the Group 2 Prix Foy at Longchamp, beating Talismanic and Cloth Of Stars, before finishing a creditable fourth to Enable in the Arc.

Last year Waldgeist was never out of the first three, winning the Group 1 Prix Ganay on his return, ahead of the 2018 French Derby star Study Of Man, then twice finishing third at Ascot, to Crystal Ocean in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes and to Enable in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He again won the Group 2 Prix Foy in September before his sensational Arc de Triomphe success, overtaking Enable in the final furlong to win by almost two lengths, with Group 1 stars Sottsass and Japan third and fourth.

Waldgeist is the eighth Arc winner for trainer Andre Fabre.

Waldgeist (GB), Chesnut 2014. Won nine races, £4,298,559, 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.

Retires to Stud in 2020.

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

Contact: John O’Connor

Telephone: +353 (0) 56 7724217

Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie

Web: www.ballylinchstud.com

Fee: €17,500