Kaiser Waldgeist rules the Ganay

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,n 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 last year in Britain.