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Andre Fabre hands Waldgeist Prince of Wales's assignment at Royal Ascot

Waldgeist: has won three of his four races this year
Waldgeist has the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot in his sights after winning return in the Prix GanayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Royal Ascot may have lost one headline act this week with the news Enable will miss the Prince of Wales's Stakes but the Wednesday feature still looks the hottest heat of the meeting, with Masar, Sea Of Class and Crystal Ocean all being aimed at the race.

But that has not deterred Andre Fabre from preparing Waldgeist for a crack at the £750,000 prize – for which he is a best-priced 8-1 with Ladbrokes rather than waiting an extra ten days to bid for a repeat success in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Waldgeist was beaten only a head in the 2017 Prix du Jockey Club but had largely been kept to a mile and a half until sprinting clear of his rivals over a mile and two and a half furlongs in the Prix Ganay at Lonchamp at the end of April.

Runner-up Study Of Man boosted the form with another second-placed effort in the Prix d'Ispahan last Sunday and Fabre is keen to explore the five-year-old son of Galileo's potential back down at the mile-and-a-quarter trip of the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

"If all goes well he will go to Ascot," said Fabre. "He has already won a Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and if he proves himself a good horse over a mile and a quarter it opens many doors for him."

Another possible member of Fabre's Ascot squad, Inns Of Court, will have his warm-up at Chantilly on Sunday when he drops back to five furlongs for the first time in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene.

Inns Of Court leads winner One Master deep inside the final furlong of the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp last October
Inns Of Court leads winner One Master deep inside the final furlong of the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp last OctoberCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"He is entered at Ascot [in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs] and he needs to run," said Fabre. "It will sharpen him up for that and he has enough speed to be competitive over five furlongs."


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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 1 June 2019inNews

Last updated 16:50, 1 June 2019

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