Waldgeist by a nose in Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

Waldgeist was fully tested to win the second Group 1 race of his career in Sunday’s $467,160 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in Paris, a victory that put the 4-year-old colt into the discussion for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

Ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot, Waldgeist (4-5) prevailed by a nose over 4-1 Coronet, a 4-year-old filly. Salouen (5-1) finished third in the field of six.

Waldgeist, a Galileo colt owned by Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park and trained by Andre Fabre, is rated at odds ranging from 16-1 to 20-1 with European bookmakers for the Arc, which is held a few miles from Saint-Cloud at Longchamp Racecourse.

In the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at 1 1/2 miles, Waldgeist closed from third to take the lead in the final strides over Coronet, who is trained by John Gosden and won the Group 2 Musidora Stakes at York Racecourse in England in May.

Waldgeist has won three consecutive races at 1 1/2 miles, including a Group 3 race in May and a Group 2 race in June. Waldgeist won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud at 1 1/4 miles as a 2-year-old in October 2016 but was winless in five starts in 2017, including a second in the French Derby.

While Waldgeist performed as expected – albeit narrowly – as the favorite, there was an upset in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles at The Curragh in Ireland.

Urban Fox, fourth in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes for fillies and mares at Royal Ascot in England on June 20, led through the final quarter-mile of the $291,975 race to finish 3 1/4 lengths in front of 2-3 favorite Forever Together, the winner of the English Oaks at Epsom Downs on June 1.

Urban Fox (9-1) was ridden by Daniel Tudhope, who kept the 4-year-old filly in third for the first mile. Forever Together finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of 7-1 Athena. Forever Together and Athena are trained by Aidan O’Brien.

Urban Fox, by Foxwedge, is trained by William Haggas for Barnane Stud. Urban Fox won her first stakes in the Pretty Polly, her fifth win in 18 starts.