Waldgeist (foaled 17 February 2014) is a British-bred, French-trained
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two-year-old in 2016 when he won two of his three races including the
Group 1 Group 1 may refer to:
* Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal
* Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport.
* Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...
Critérium de Saint-Cloud. He failed to win in the following year but ran second in the
Prix du Jockey Club and fourth in the
Irish Derby. In 2018 he won four consecutive races, namely the
Prix d'Hédouville,
Grand Prix de Chantilly,
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) and
Prix Foy. In 2019 he won a third Group 1 race when he took the
Prix Ganay
The Prix Ganay is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,100 metres (about 1 mile and 2½ furlongs) at L ...
and recorded his biggest win in October when he took the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
.
Background
Waldgeist is a chestnut horse with a white
blaze bred in England by the Waldlerche Partnership. During his racing career he was owned by a partnership involving Gestut Ammerland,
Newsells Park Stud and various members of the
Coolmore Stud organization. He was sent into training with
André Fabre in France.
He was sired by
Galileo
Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...
, who won the
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
,
Irish Derby and
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001. Galileo became one of the world's leading stallions, earning his tenth
champion sire of Great Britain and Ireland title in 2018. His other progeny include
Cape Blanco,
Frankel,
Golden Lilac,
Nathaniel
Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Hebrew name
A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. ...
,
New Approach
New Approach (foaled 18 February 2005) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion. In a racing career which lasted from July 2007 to October 2008 he ran eleven times and won eight races. He was undefeated in five races as a tw ...
,
Rip Van Winkle
"Rip Van Winkle" () is a short story by the American author Washington Irving, first published in 1819. It follows a Dutch-American villager in Colonial history of the United States, colonial America named Rip Van Winkle who meets mysterious Du ...
,
Found Minding and
Ruler of the World
Ruler of the World (foaled 17 March 2010) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won The Derby in 2013. He was unraced as a two-year-old. In 2013, he won a maiden race at the Curragh and the Group Three Chester Vase before winning the De ...
. Waldgeist's dam Waldlerche showed high class form in France, winning the
Prix Penelope in 2012. before becoming a successful broodmare whose other foals have included the
Prix de Malleret winner Waldlied. Waldlerche was a half-sister to the
St Leger
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
winner
Masked Marvel and closely related to the
Deutsches Derby winner Waldpark.
Racing career
2016: two-year-old season
Waldgeist made his debut in a
maiden race
In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
over 1600 metres at
Chantilly Racecourse
Chantilly Racecourse (In French: "Hippodrome de Chantilly") is a Thoroughbred grass, turf race track, racecourse for flat racing in Chantilly, Oise, France, about north of the centre of the city of Paris.
Chantilly Racecourse is located in the ...
on 8 September in which he started odds-on favourite and won by two
lengths from Called To The Bar, a colt who went on to win several
Group races
Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Trio ...
. He was stepped up in class for the Group 3
Prix de Condé over 1800 metres at the same track a month later but despite starting favourite he finished third in a three-way
photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the fini ...
, beaten a neck and a short head by Frankuus and Prinz Hlodowig. Twelve days later the colt was moved up to the highest class for the Group 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud over 2000 metres on
soft ground and started at odds of
10/1 in a thirteen-runner field. After racing in mid-division Waldgeist made a strong run up the stands-side (the right hand side from the jockeys' viewpoint), took the lead 150 metres from the finish and won by a length from
Best Solution
Best or The Best may refer to:
People
* Best (surname), people with the surname Best
* Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer
Companies and organizations
* Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain
* Best Lock Corporatio ...
with the favourite
Capri
Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...
half a length away in third. The unplaced horses included Prinz Hlodowig, Frankuus,
Wings of Eagles and
Rekindling. Boudot commented "He is still quite tender and has plenty to learn so we wanted to give him a good lesson last time. He still lacks a little strength but has a lot of quality and will make a good three-year-old. It is great to win the race for my boss and he is certainly a horse to watch out for next year".
In the official European Classification of two-year-olds for 2016 Waldgeist was given a rating of 114, making him the tenth best juvenile colt of the season, eight pounds behind the top-rated Churchill.
2017: three-year-old season
Waldgeist began his second campaign by starting favourite for the Group 2
Prix Greffulhe
The Prix Greffulhe is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Saint-Cloud in May.
History
The ev ...
over 2000 metres at
Saint-Cloud Racecourse
Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud is a grass race course for Thoroughbred flat horse racing opened in 1901 at 1 rue du Camp Canadien in Saint-Cloud near Paris, France. During World War 1, the race course site housed the No. 4 Canadian Stationary Hospita ...
on 8 May and finished second of the five runners behind
Recoletos. In the
Prix du Jockey-Club
The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...
at Chantilly four weeks later he produced a sustained late run to take the lead in the closing stages but was caught on the line and beaten a short head by the favourite
Brametot
Brametot () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.
Geography
A small farming village situated in the Pays de Caux, southwest of Dieppe, at the junction of the D142 and the D307 roads.
Populat ...
. In the
Irish Derby at the
Curragh
The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Japanese Gardens. Pollardstown Fen, the larges ...
on 1 July he came home fourth behind Capri,
Cracksman and Wings of Eagles, beaten less than two lengths by the winner.
After a three-month break, Waldgeist returned to the track on 7 October when he was sent to England for the
Cumberland Lodge Stakes
The Cumberland Lodge Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 met ...
at
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Grade ...
in which he was partnered by
Vincent Cheminaud. Racing against older horses for the first time he was beaten a neck by the front-running four-year-old
gelding
A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...
Danehill Kodiac. He ended his season in Germany on 1 November when he ran fourth behind the five-year-old Guignol in the
Grosser Preis von Bayern
The Grosser Preis von Bayern is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Munich Racecourse over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year ...
.
In the
2017 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Waldgeist was given a rating of 117, making him the 129th best racehorse in the world.
2018: four-year-old season

On 8 April 2018 Waldgeist made a disappointing start to his third campaign when he came home fifth behind the nine-year-old British gelding Air Pilot in the
Prix d'Harcourt
The Prix d'Harcourt is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Longchamp in ...
over 2000 metres at
Longchamp Racecourse
The Longchamp Racecourse (, ) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for ...
. Four weeks later at the same track he was made the 2.6/1 favourite for the 2400 metre Prix d'Hédouville. He produced a strong late run on the outside to take the lead inside the last 100 metres and won by one and a half lengths and a had from Way To Paris and Called To The Bar. On 3 June the colt started second choice behind
Cloth of Stars
Cloth of Stars (foaled 6 April 2013) is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed good ability as a two-year-old in 2015, winning the Prix des Chênes and being placed in both the Prix de Condé and the Critérium de Sain ...
in the betting for the Grand Prix de Chantilly. He took the lead 200 metres from the finish and drew away to win "comfortably" by three lengths from the German challenger
Dschingis Secret. The Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on 1 July saw Waldgeist start odds-on favourite against five opponents, namely Cloth of Stars,
Coronet
In British heraldry, a coronet is a type of crown that is a mark of rank of non-reigning members of the royal family and peers. In other languages, this distinction is not made, and usually the same word for ''crown'' is used irrespective of ra ...
, Salouen (runner-up in the
Coronation Cup
The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards ...
), Iquitos (
Grosser Preis von Baden
The Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), taking plac ...
) and Oriental Eagle (
Gerling-Preis
The Gerling-Preis is a Group 2 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles) at Cologne in late April or early May.
History
The event was est ...
). After racing in third place he made a sustained run in the straight and got the better of a closely contested struggle with Coronet in the last 100 metres to win by a short head. After the race Gestut Ammerland's Dietrich von Boetticher said "It was a great performance and, although he has taken time to mature, he is stronger now as a four-year-old. He has proved himself since the start of the season and was given a great ride by Pierre-Charles Boudot today".
Following a break of two and a half months Waldgeist returned to the track for the Prix Foy (a major trial race for the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
) at Longchamp on 15 September. Starting the 0.6/1 favourite he won in "impressive" style as he took the lead in the last 100 metres and pulled away to win by two and a half lengths from
Talismanic. The four other beaten runners were Cloth of Stars, Way To Paris, Capri and the Japanese challenger Clincher. In the
2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The 2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a horse race which was held at Longchamp on Sunday 7 October 2018. The race was run at Longchamp Racecourse for the first time since 2015, having been staged at Chantilly Racecourse in 2016 and 2017 while L ...
on 7 October Waldgeist started at odds of 6/1, making him easily the best-fancied of the French-trained runners. After racing towards the rear of the field he made steady progress in the straight and came home fourth behind
Enable,
Sea of Class
Sea Of Class (23 May 2015 – 22 July 2019) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She was unraced as a juvenile and beaten on her three-year-old debut, but then made rapid progress, winning the Fillies' Trial Stakes in May a ...
and Cloth of Stars. Four weeks later he was sent to the United States to contest the
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...
at
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...
for which he started second favourite but finished fifth of the thirteen runners. In December at
Sha Tin Racecourse
Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin District, Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Penfold Park is encircled by the track, and the Ho ...
Waldgeist started favourite for the
Hong Kong Vase
The Hong Kong Vase is a Conditions races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run each year in mid-December over a distance of 2,400 metres (about miles o ...
but after being hampered in the straight he came home fifth, beaten four and a half lengths by the locally trained winner Exultant.
In the
2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2018 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) on ...
, Waldgeist was given a rating of 122, making him the 20th best racehorse in the world.
2019: five-year-old season
Waldgeist made his first appearance of 2019 in the Prix Ganay over 2100 at Longchamp on 28 April and started 3.4/1 second favourite behind Ghaiyyath (
Prix d'Harcourt
The Prix d'Harcourt is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Longchamp in ...
) in a five-runner field which also included Intellogent (
Prix Jean Prat
The Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is s ...
),
Study of Man
Study of Man (foaled 9 April 2015) is an Irish-bred, French-trained retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active breeding stallion. After winning his only race as a juvenile in 2017 he developed into a top-class performer in the following spring, ...
and Soleil Marin (
Prix Exbury
The Prix Exbury is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Saint-Cloud in March.
Hi ...
). He was settled in third place by Boudot before taking the lead 200 metres out and drawing away to win "readily" by four and a half lengths from Study of Man. Fabre commented "He's five now, and I can train him harder. He takes the work better. Remember, he was beaten a short head in the Prix du Jockey Club. He was unlucky and should have won that day, so he is competitive at this trip".
In June Waldgeist was sent to
Royal Ascot
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
for the
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 me ...
over ten
furlongs
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains, or approximately 201 metres. It is no ...
. In a race run in driving rain he finished third behind
Crystal Ocean and
Magical. In the following month he returned to Ascot for the
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. After racing in mid-division he stayed on strongly in the straight to finish third behind Enable and Crystal Ocean. As on 2018, Waldgeist prepared for the Arc de Triomphe in the Prix Foy and won again, coming home two lengths clear of his three opponents at odds of 2/5.
On 6 October Waldgeist started the 13.1/1 fifth choice behind Enable,
Sottsass
Sottsass (foaled 24 March 2016) is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which ran from August 2018 to October 2020 he ran nine times and won five races, including three at the highest Group One level. He showed promise as a two-year-old ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
and
Ghaiyyath
Ghaiyyath (foaled 19 April 2015) is an Irish-bred British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2020 European Horse of the Year after winning the Juddmonte International Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Coronation Cup, and Dubai Millen ...
in the 98th running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Boudot settled Waldgeist in mid-division as Ghaiyyath set the pace from Fierement, Magical and Enable. Magical took the lead in the straight before giving way to Enable but Waldgeist produced a sustained run on the outside, caught the favourite 50 metres from the finish and drew away in the final strides to win by one and three quarter lengths.
In the
2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, sponsored by Longines was the 2019 edition of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. It was an assessment of Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorses issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorit ...
Waldgeist was given a rating of 128, placing him in a three-way tie for first place alongside Enable and Crystal Ocean.
Stud career
Waldgeist began his career as a breeding stallion at the Ballylinch Stud in
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the City status in Ir ...
, standing at an initial fee of €17,500.
Pedigree
References
{{Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Winners
2014 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Racehorses trained in France
Thoroughbred family 5-h
Arc winners