Waldgeist to Contest Prince of Wales's Stakes

Royal Ascot may have lost one headline act this week with the news Enable will miss the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1), but the June 19 feature still looks the hottest heat of the meeting, with Masar, Sea of Class, and Crystal Ocean all aimed at the race.

But that has not deterred André 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 11 days to bid for a repeat success in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1).

Waldgeist was beaten only a head in the 2017 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club (G1) but had largely been kept to a mile and a half until sprinting clear of his rivals over a mile and 2 1/2 furlongs in the Prix Ganay (G1) at ParisLongchamp at the end of April. 

Runner-up Study of Man boosted the form with another second-place effort in the Prix d'Ispahan (G1) May 26, and Fabre is keen to explore the 5-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 June 2 when he drops back to five furlongs for the first time in the Prix du Gros-Chene (G2).

"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."