Dubawi half-sister to Waldgeist among blue-blooded fillies set for Chantilly debuts on Friday

Caelestis

Prix de Manse (1pm BST, Chantilly, Friday)

What's the story?

Caelestis is the latest progeny of Waldlerche to hit the track - and she sports the increasingly familiar colours of Al Shira'aa having sold to HH Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan's operation for 1,250,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 two years ago, when offered by Newsells Park Stud. 

The three-year-old holds entries in the Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane, but whatever heights she may reach, a win here would add to her residual value as a broodmare.

How is she bred?

Caelestis is by Dubawi and out of the Group-winning Monsun mare Waldlerche, making her a half-sister to 2019 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero and Ballylinch Stud's first-season sire Waldgeist (by Galileo), as well as Prix de Malleret scorer Waldlied (New Approach) - whose first foal, the Kingman colt Equitize, struck on debut for Chad Brown in America - not to mention Gordon Richard Stakes winner Waldkonig (Kingman).

Caelestis is a Dubawi half-sister to Arc hero Waldgeist and from the famous 'W' family Credit: Edward Whitaker

Waldlerche's pedigree is second to none, being a half-sister to two black-type winners including St Leger hero and Grade 1-winning sire Masked Marvel and out of Waldmark, a Group 2-placed half-sister to German Derby hero Waldpark (Dubawi) and the smart Waldvogel and Waldjagd. Waldmark is, in turn, out of blue hen and German Group 2 winner Wurftaube.

Who does she have to contend with? 

The Pascal Bary-trained filly faces a number of very well-bred sorts, including Lady's Slipper, a Frankel half-sister to Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Lily's Candle, and The Planets, the Niarchos family's homebred Sea The Stars half-sister to Prix du Jockey Club hero and Lanwades sire Study Of Man.

Others set to take her on include the Aga Khan's Intello filly Visilanda, from the family of Prix de la Foret winner Varenar and top-class stayer Vazirabad, plus Zeeyara, by Nathaniel and from the brilliant Shadwell family of Baaeed, Aghareed, Lahudood and Height Of Fashion.

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