Calandagan in position to reproduce ‘massive performance’ in Champion Stakes defence

Calandagan is expected to put up a staunch defence of his crown in the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Pic: Adam Davy/the Press Association.

Calandagan is expected to put up a staunch defence of his crown in the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

A comprehensive victory over Ombudsman 12 months ago was the third leg of a Group One five-timer for Francis-Graffard’s globetrotting superstar, a run which also included victories in the King George, the Japan Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic.

The five-year-old was the highest-rated horse in the world following his March success at Meydan and while he subsequently floundered in a soft-ground Coronation Cup at Epsom, a return to winning ways at Saint-Cloud and a runner-up finish to Kalpana when bidding for a second King George win in July restored some order.

With old rival Ombudsman heading the opposition, Calandagan has plenty on his plate on his return from a near three-month break, but connections are confident he is fit and firing.

Nemone Routh, racing manager and director for the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: “Calandagan has really benefited from a break after the King George as we thought he was a bit tired that day. Take nothing away from Kalpana, but we felt he came there to win his race and then did not quite finish it out.

“I thought it was a massive performance on Champions Day last year. We had a few question marks because we were viewing it as a prep for the Japan Cup and weren’t sure whether the drop back to 10 furlongs would be suitable. He blew everyone away that day and was very impressive.

“In terms of ratings, last year’s Champion Stakes is his best performance. That gave us huge satisfaction and after that we took him very seriously. We went into the Japan Cup thinking we had a proper Group One horse.” With regular rider Mickael Barzalona sidelined by a suspension he picked up on Arc weekend two weeks ago, Christophe Soumillon will be on Calandagan’s back for the first time this weekend.

“Mickael would obviously have been our first choice, but we soon realised that his ban was not going to be lifted,” Routh added.

“We spoke with Francis, who put a list of names to us, and we felt it made sense to choose Christophe. He knows our organisation very well, is a very good big-race jockey and was in tremendous form over Arc weekend.” John and Thady Gosden’s Ombudsman looked better than ever when going back-to-back in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, but a fourth-place finish in the Juddmonte International at York leaves him with some questions to answer.

Jockey William Buick said: “It should be beautiful ground for him. The ground was borderline soft at York last time and there was plenty said about it at the time, but that sort of ground blunts his speed.

“Last year it was a race of stamina with the pace they went, but we’re another year on so we’ll see how this year goes.” Bay City Roller has enjoyed a superb campaign for George Scott, with 10-length Coronation Cup romp followed by consecutive runner-up efforts to Daryz, most recently in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

While that effort was just 13 days ago, Scott views the quick turnaround as more of a positive than a negative.

“He’s come out of the race in Paris really well. He’s a very easy horse to get a read on and seems to thrive on his racing,” said the Newmarket handler.

“Arguably his two career-best performances have come on the back of a two-week break, so he’s bright and well and all set for the weekend.

“He’s been a model of consistency throughout his career, especially this year, and he’s in fantastic shape. His optimum trip is probably a mile and a half, but 10 furlongs is no concern. Ascot is a stiff 10 furlongs and that wouldn’t worry me at all.

“Ombudsman is the king around Ascot, Calandagan was the world’s best horse last year and Almaqam won the Tattersalls Gold Cup. It’s a fantastic race to be part of and I’m really looking forward to it.” Aidan O’Brien gave serious consideration to dropping Constitution River back to a mile this weekend, even supplementing him for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Monday at a cost of £70,000.

However, the Ballydoyle handler has ultimately decided to stick to a mile and a quarter with his French Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero, giving him an opportunity to bounce back from defeat at York and in the Irish Champion Stakes.

“We always thought Constitution River had pace enough for a mile and in his last two runs he kind of went to the half-furlong marker and didn’t really finish off,” O’Brien said.

“We felt in York there were reasons for that – the pace was very strong and he got hung up on it early and was in a gear too high the whole race – and then he went to Leopardstown and it was a little bit the same. He went there kind of early because the pace dropped away in front of him, he went to the half-furlong marker and kind of emptied out.

“We weren’t sure at that time if he wasn’t staying or what, but it’s very possible with the health of the horses at that time that he was getting tired. When there’s something going on for a while, like ourselves, you will tire quicker.

“To be fair to the horse we felt we should do it (a mile and a quarter) again.” Ed Walker’s Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam and Ombudsman’s stablemate and pacemaker Devil’s Advocate complete the stellar field.