First winner for Arc hero and Ballylinch sire Waldgeist as Billiegee scoots home at Wolverhampton

Ballylinch Stud resident and 2019 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Waldgeist sired his first winner when Billiegee struck at Wolverhampton on Friday. 

Having finished an eyecatching second on her debut at Kempton, the James Ferguson-trained filly came home a head of Too Darn Hot filly Really Darn Hot. 

Bred by the Donau Partnership and Waldgeist Syndicate, the juvenile was a 25,000gns purchase by the Avenue Pinhooking Syndicate from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. 

She was then a buyback by Baroda Stud from the Goffs Orby Sale the following autumn, before making €21,000 to Avenue Bloodstock and Ferguson from the Goffs Autumn Sale. 

The Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park Stud-bred Waldgeist has had only a handful of runners, but several have performed promisingly. The son of Galileo, who retired to Ballylinch after famously downing Enable and her Arc hat-trick at Longchamp, won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud at two. 

Waldgeist after his victory in the 2019 ArcCredit: Edward Whitaker

He was also second to Brametot in the Prix du Jockey Club the following term, while his four-year-old campaign in 2018 saw him land the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud from four Group successes. 

He was an emphatic winner of the Group 1 Prix Ganay in 2019, beating Study Of Man and Ghaiyyath by upwards of four and a half lengths, while third places in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and King George were followed by a Prix Foy score. 

The Andre Fabre-trained chestnut was retired after his Arc success. He was introduced to breeders in 2020 for a fee of €17,500 and stood in 2023 for €12,500.

Waldgeist hails from the mighty 'W' family as a son of Group-winning Monsun mare Waldlerche, making him a brother or half-brother to four winners, including Group scorers Waldkonig and Waldlied. 

Waldlerche is a half-sister to St Leger winner and Haras de la Tuilerie sire Masked Marvel and stakes winner Waldnah. 

That trio are out of Waldmark, a Mark Of Esteem half-sister to Deutsches Derby hero Waldpark, plus Listed winner and Group-placed Waldvogel. 

Waldmark, Waldpark and Waldvogel are out of the formidable Wurftaube. The daughter of Acatenango won two German Group 2s and placed second in the Group 1 WGZ Bank Deutschlandpreis.

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