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Waldgeist has chased home some illustrious opposition this season and is looking to claim his second G1 of the year when competing in this Sunday’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
If successful, it would be another win in the race for trainer Andre Fabre, who has previously been successful with the red and green silks in 1999 when Borgia won for owner-breeders Newsells Park Stud and Gestut Ammerland.
Fabre is looking for his third victory in the G1 Hong Kong Vase and has played a leading role in recent renewals of the race. He tasted success with Flintshire in 2014, who he brought back to finish runner up the subsequent year and produced the striking looking Talismanic to finish second behind Highland Reel in 2017.
Back home in France, the Chantilly based trainer is about to be awarded the Champion Trainer title for a record-breaking twenty-ninth time and has had yet another successful year with multiple Group winners, including the talented WALDGEIST.
With his campaign geared towards Paris Longchamp and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, WALDGEIST proved himself to be one of the leading older middle-distance horses in Europe when winning the G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in July. He picked up the G2 Prix Foy en route to the Arc beating stable mate Talismanic in impressive style after cruising to the front in the final stages. When Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe day came, he was a strong finisher back in fourth behind Enable, only beaten one-and three-quarter lengths despite hitting traffic in the last 400m.
International travel beckoned and WALDGEIST was sent to America to try his luck in the Breeder’s Cup Turf at Churchill Downs and renew rivalry with Enable. The ground came up good after plenty of rain during the week and he struggled in fifth, showing none of his characteristic finishing speed. It was a below par run from the horse and Fabre said: “I was a bit disappointed with him in America, where he ran a bit flat and didn’t quicken as usual. But now he has recovered really well and he will enjoy Sha Tin racecourse and the fast ground.”
With conditions at Sha Tin in his favour, WALDGEIST is likely to start favourite and will have a winning chance to add yet another international Group One to the French maestro’s growing record.
