King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Calandagan rules for France in brilliant Ascot win
Calandagan clinched back-to-back wins of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Francis-Henri Graffard in a pulsating battle with Kalpana at Ascot; Also on the card, Fitzella showed her class with a smart victory in the Princess Margaret Stakes.
Saturday 26 July 2025 18:36, UK
French raider Calandagan powered to a brilliant victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Francis-Henri Graffard's gelding was bidding to keep the trophy in the Chantilly yard after Goliath prevailed 12 months ago, with his key rival seemingly Aidan O'Brien's Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel, who had edged the Aga Khan Studs-owned four-year-old at Epsom.
Calandagan was the well-backed 11-10 favourite to turn the tables and, after an incredibly patient ride from Mickael Barzalona, he swept through to pick off all of his rivals and pass the gallant Kalpana ahead of the line for a one-length triumph.
It is the fifth time the race has been won by a horse carrying the green and red silks, with Shergar the most famous of the those winners after prevailing for the fourth Aga Khan, who died in February this year at the age of 88.
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"I am so pleased for the horse, it was a competitive race," said Graffard.
"The tactics during the race were not what I was expecting, when I saw Continuous going very steadily it was all different.
"When the filly (Kalpana) kicked on for home my horse was still travelling well, I was hoping he was going to catch her at the end. He lengthened so strongly, he's a very good horse.
"I wanted to see my horse getting into his rhythm and lengthening his stride, when I really saw him coming I started to shout.
"He won nicely again today, he's a good horse, that's two in row now in Group Ones.
"Mickael knows him very well and he has a lot confidence in the horse. You saw the ride he gave him, he had a lot of confidence and he won - we are so happy."
Future plans could include another trip to York for the Juddmonte International, in which he was second to City Of Troy last year.
Graffard said: "We'll see how he comes out of the race, but he's in the Juddmonte International and why not, I wouldn't mind going back there. I would have no problem bringing him back to 10 furlongs, but I will discuss it with the owner.
"A mile and a half is also the perfect distance for him, but he ran really strongly in the race at York last year and if he comes back really well, why avoid the race?
"We could maybe go for the Japan Cup at the end of the season, but he will have a big target somewhere."
Jubilant rider Barzalona added: "This means a lot and it has come at the right time for me.
"It's took a bit of time to win his Group One, but now he has won two in a row and to win a King George means a lot.
"He's a lovely horse to ride and he has an engine and a beautiful action. Once he finds his rhythm he is never going to let you down and as a jockey you just need to put him in the right spot and let him do the rest.
"I was very confident I would get to Kalpana and this is a great result."
Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret
Fitzella showed her class with a smart victory in the Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes.
The Hugo Palmer-trained filly was fourth at the same track in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, beaten three lengths by a highly-regarded rival in Karl Burke's Venetian Sun.
This time she was the 9-4 favourite under Oisin Murphy, and took up the running early on to set a good pace from the front.
As the race developed the contenders behind her attempted to close, but the daughter of Too Darn Hot was well able to keep her head in front to claim an eventual one-length win from George Scott's Staya.
Palmer said: "Oisin was very upset when he came in from the Albany as he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace, he did realise and took back but the damage was already kind of done by then.
"We felt on reflection that it was her class that allowed her to finish fourth on that occasion.
"She was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track that day as well and today the plan was to hold her up and race more patiently and use her finish.
"She pinged the lids and Oisin had to go straight to plan B and it worked very nicely. He didn't go hard and of course she's very exciting.
"She was an expensive yearling but has always been beautiful and still is and I'm delighted she's a Group winner now.
"I've only watched it once so I don't know how tough Oisin has had to be on her. She was very game and very willing which is what she has been at home since the get-go. I'm delighted today, but just sad she's not a Royal Ascot winner."
Palmer continued: "She's shown great gate speed today and the Breeders' Cup would definitely be on the radar, she will definitely run again and possibly twice, but I wouldn't think more than that.
"It's her fourth start of the year and I wouldn't want her to have many more than five or six runs.
"She has a Moyglare entry, but that is a very stiff seven furlongs and I would have thought the Prix du Calvados at Deauville may be the right option, it's a month away. She wouldn't want soft ground though, so we will have to see what the weather brings."
Cheshire Dancer surprises in Valiant Stakes
Cheshire Dancer made it a fine afternoon for Hugo Palmer as she claimed a surprise victory as a 22-1 shot in the Longines Valiant Stakes.
The grey filly was ridden by Billy Loughnane in the Group Three, for which Ralph Beckett's Chantilly Lace was the horse to beat according to the market as the 11-4 favourite.
Cheshire Dancer travelled in last as her rivals contested the lead, but then began to make progress on the outside in the final two furlongs before grabbing a narrow victory from Ed Walker's American Gal on the line.
Palmer, who had struck in the preceding Princess Margaret Stakes with Fitzella, said: "It's been a great hour, when we got done on the line in the first at Chester I didn't think it would be our day, so this is magical really.
"I said to the owners when she was third at Ascot during the Royal meeting that we would go back for the Valiant and she has since run massive when second in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.
"Sometimes when these fillies find a rich vein of form and grow in confidence they improve and it's difficult to put your finger on how or why, but she's found that magical moment today.
"I was slightly nervous during the race, it wasn't the plan to sit last but they went an even enough gallop and she was really tough.
"She's been in the yard for three years and holds a real soft spot in all our hearts and it's lovely to see the success for everyone who puts so much into her.
"She went up to 86 after the run on the straight track here during the Royal meeting and now after two runs over a turning mile she's going to be up to a 100.
"She failed the vet for America after she finished third in the Kensington Palace. We had accepted an offer for her but that was probably for considerably less than she is now worth now, so it's funny how it goes."
He added: "Winning these races are important for all trainers, but what we're really keen to get across to people is despite the fact I may have left Newmarket and moved to Cheshire, we're still doing the same job and winning Group races and people can with confidence send us well-bred horses and home breds."
Words Of Truth shows his worth
Words Of Truth put in an honest display to showcase his talent in the British EBF Crocker Bulteel 'Confined' Maiden Stakes.
Well held behind Royal Ascot scorer Humidity at Newbury on debut, he was the 13-8 favourite to make amends in the hands of William Buick.
He justified both that market support and trainer Charlie Appleby's decision to geld the son of Lope De Vega with a professional performance that hints he is a youngster with some brighter days ahead.
Appleby said: "We were hopeful of him first up at Newbury, but unfortunately he was a bit unruly and therefore he has had to take the snip.
"It's always a hard decision to make, but I would rather make the decision early than him gain confidence in the characteristics he was showing. As I always say you either want a painting or a racehorse and we're here to have racehorses.
"He's still got a little of that character in him, but he's got an engine.
"We came here today with confidence and we had the run under our belt as well which when you are coming here is often a nice box to have ticked. William kept it simple and used that experience he had gained and tried to see if he could put the others to the sword.
"Being gelded will limit some options - I can't run him in the Commonwealth Cup can I! We'll have to plot our course accordingly and he's a handy little horse who I imagine will keep progressing and galloped out quite nicely there.
"There will be no immediate plans and William said he would be happy to see him step up to seven sooner rather than later, so I think he will be a handy horse."
