26 April 2020
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, April 28, 2019, ParisLongchamp. - Waldgeist (Galileo) made a winning comeback in the Prix Ganay (Gr1), the first Group 1 race of the season in Europe, run on Sunday at ParisLongchamp over 2,100m/10 1/2f on the Grande Piste. Ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot, Gestut Ammerland (Dietrich von Boetticher) and Newsells Park Stud's 5-year-old waited in third place after spotting the favourite, Godolphin-owned British raider Ghaiyyath (Dubawi) and another returning champ, French Derby-winner Study of Man (Deep Impact).
Going into the last straight, the latter did not let Ghaiyyath breathe, and thus repeat his easy Prix d'Harcourt (Gr2) win, three weeks ago. Hooked on, Ghayyiath lost the edge about one furlong out and if he pulled himself together, he could not quite beat Study of Man, who passed the post with a short head to spare. For his part, Waldgeist progressively moved out by his rider, had already taken off by the duelists, and went on to score by over 4 lengths... This is his third Group 1 title after the Critérium de Saint-Cloud at 2 and the Saint-Cloud Grand Prix last year.
Bred in Great Britain, Waldgeist was racing for the 17th time in the Ganay, his seventh win to date. He has exceeded 1.7 million euros in earnings. His dam Waldlerche (Monsun) won the Prix Pénélope (Gr3) after being bought € 100,000 at the Deauville sales. She also gave the winner of the Prix de Malleret (Gr2) Waldlied (New Approach). Another filly by New Approach, still unraced to this day, was born in 2015, and a son of Sea The Stars born in 2016 started with a win for trainer John Gosden in 2018 in Britain.
The favourite Morgan Le Faye (Shamardal) has largely dominated the Prix Allez France Longines (Gr3), Sunday at ParisLongchamp on a good to soft ground (3.3). The Godolphin mare left an up and coming Tosen Gift (Lope de Vega) second at two lengths after a comfortable ride behind the leading group. Second last time out when both were coming back from their Winter spell, in the Prix Zarkava (L), the Aga Khan's Shahnaza (Azamour) finished third ¾ of a length behind, proving unable to keep up with the winner when she took off early in the last straight.
Morgan The Faye is a daughter of Molly Malone (Lomitas), winner of the Prix du Cadran (Gr1). She was bought as a yearling for € 350,000 at the Deauville sales. It is the family of Monsun (Königsstühl) and Brametot (Rajsaman).
The mare was geared towards the staying program last year, notably when finishing third on the Prix Royal-Oak (Gr1) two-miler behind Holdthasigreen and Called to the Bar, but she gained speed, and a wide range of races is available to her now. Her name evokes the character of the Arthurian legend that is the fairy Morgan.
Holdthasigreen (Hold That Tiger) and Called to the Bar (Henrythenavigator) were again at ParisLongchamp on Sunday in the Prix de Barbeville (Gr3). On this occasion, the 7-year-old gelding owned by Jean Gilbert and Claude Le Lay tied the mark with his rival 2-2. Fast ahead, he repelled every attack to win by a length. Always kept in the warm inside the field along the rail, Way To Paris (Champs Elysees) finished strongly in second, Called to the Bar having to settle for third place, just in front of a brave Mahoe (Doctor Dino), always at the forefront.
And then ...
It was for Waldgeist the start of a very great campaign which ended with a victory in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, thus depriving Enable of a third victory in the richest race in Europe. Meanwhile, the Gestüt Ammerland and Newsells Stud-owned horse finished third in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Gr1) at Royal Ascot, then in the King George (Gr1) on the same venue, and once again on soft ground that some thought would no longer suit him. Yet, he won again in the Prix Foy (Gr3) and confirmed brilliantly in the Arc before flying to Ireland, where he is now retired at stud. Second on that day, Study of Man, the 2018 Jockey Club winner, again finished second in the Prix d'Ispahan (Gr1). He too has become a sire, in Britain.
Morgan Le Faye confirmed her success in the Prix Allez France in the Prix Corrida (Gr2) at Saint-Cloud but she then failed in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) and was retired in September. Holdthasigreen, for his part, was a well-beaten 5th twice after this success, behind horses he beat on this day. He brilliantly redeemed himself on in the Qatar Prix du Cadran (Gr1) over 20 furlongs on Arc weekend. Now 8, he is training for a new campaign in 2020! Second and third in the Prix de Barbeville, Way to Paris and Called to the Bar each won their Group 2 in the summer, the second named also winning the Prix Gladiateur (Gr3) in September. They too are still in training.
Also on this Sunday, Olendon won the Prix Finlande (L) before taking the second place in the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1) for owner Gérard Augustin-Normand before flying off definitively for the United States.