Waldgeist lowers Ghaiyyath's colours in Prix Ganay upset

Ghaiyyath’s bubble was burst as Waldgeist provided Andre Fabre with a record sixth victory in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Ghaiyyath had looked a potential superstar when making sparkling start to the campaign in the Group Two Prix d’Harcourt three weeks ago – his fourth win from five career starts and his second in Paris.

The Dubawi colt was unsurprisingly all the rage to graduate to Group One level with honours – but was ultimately well held.

William Buick sent the 1-3 favourite straight to the lead, but it was obvious rounding the home turn that it was not going to be as straightforward as the betting suggested as both Study Of Man and 7-2 chance Waldgeist were travelling strongly in behind.

Ghaiyyath did his best to hold onto his lead, but had no answer as Waldgeist swept clear inside the final furlong and ran out an emphatic winner under a delighted Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Study Of Man narrowly beat Ghaiyyath to the runner-up spot.

Waldgeist was claiming his third Group One win. The five-year-old was fourth and fifth behind John Gosden’s Enable in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at the end of last season and finished fifth again in the Hong Kong Vase on his final start of 2018.

Fabre said: “I am very happy. I think he is a stronger horse this year.

“It was good to see him do it over a mile and a quarter, but you must remember he was beaten a nose in the Prix du Jockey Club a couple of years ago and was very unlucky.

“We could go for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. I’ve put him in the Coronation Cup (at Epsom), but I’m not sure about that.

“The King George (at Ascot) could be a good option for him.”

Appleby made no excuses for Ghaiyyath and feels he will need a longer trip to make his mark at at the highest level.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “William (Buick) felt the turn of foot on the slower ground, but I don’t know. Personally I just think he’s ready to step up to a mile and a half now.

“The winner is a dual Group One winner and over a mile and a half, today we might not have beaten him either, but I just feel that stepping up in trip is going to be Ghaiyyath’s forte.

“I don’t think he’s lost too much in defeat. He had two Group One winners in front of him today and I think he’s a horse that we’ve still got a future with.”