All eyes on Wolverhampton as the Kingman half-brother to Waldgeist makes his bow

John Gosden is set to unleash a juvenile newcomer at Wolverhampton on Saturday whose pedigree unites two of the big breeding stories of 2019.

Waldkonig, who will be partnered by Rab Havlin when he lines up for the Ladbrokes Home of the Odds Boost EBF Novice Stakes at 5.50, is a half-brother to this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Waldgeist by second-season sire sensation Kingman.

He represents joint-owners and breeders Newsells Park Stud and Gestüt Ammerland, who also campaigned his illustrious half-brother together, and is out of the partners' exciting young broodmare Waldlerche, a Prix Penelope winner by Monsun.

The five-year-old Waldgeist (by Galileo), also successful in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix Ganay and now embarking on his stallion career at Ballylinch Stud, is the first foal out of Waldlerche, while the four-year-old Prix de Malleret winner Waldlied (New Approach) is the second.

Waldstern, a three-year-old son of Sea The Stars who is the mare's third produce, is a dual winner for Gosden and was last seen finishing fourth – beaten less than two lengths – in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup at Newbury.

Waldlerche and her offspring hail from a fine German family, as the mare is a half-sister to St Leger victor Masked Marvel and Listed scorer Waldnah, as well as to the dam of Pat Eddery Stakes winner Al Dabaran.

Waldlerche and siblings are out of Falmouth Stakes runner-up Waldmark, a daughter of Mark Of Esteem and German champion Wurftaube, making her a half-sister to German Derby hero Waldpark.

Group/Grade 1 winners Wake Forest and Wonderment, plus this season's surprise Hackwood Stakes scorer Waldpfad, are also close family members.

Waldkonig's sire Kingman, meanwhile, has established himself as one of the most exciting young names in the world. The Banstead Manor Stud-based son of Invincible Spirit has supplied 28 black-type performers – including 17 stakes winners – in his first two crops, with the likes of Persian King, Calyx, King Of Comedy and Headman among his standout performers.

One of the most intriguing of the 12 rivals to Waldkonig at Wolverhampton on Saturday is the Hugo Palmer-trained Zoran.

The Invincible Spirit colt is out of Filia Regina, a winning daughter of Galileo and the legendary Ouija Board and therefore a sister to Australia.

Carrying the same historic black silks as Ouija Board did, Zoran ran a promise-filled seventh – beaten just two and a half lengths despite having lost ground at the start – on debut at Lingfield last month.

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