Calandagan winning in 2025 (credit: Megan Rose Photography)
The Aga Khan Studs is set to deploy two of its star names at Ascot on Qatar Racing British Champions Day, with Calandagan seeking a repeat win in the G1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes and Rayif chasing his third G1 of the season in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing).
Calandagan delivered a stellar performance in the 2025 edition of the 10-furlong highlight as he beat Ombudsman by two and a quarter lengths, a performance judged to be the best in the world by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
However, the five-year-old has met with defeat on two of his three European starts this year for Francis-Henri Graffard, most recently chasing home Kalpana in July’s G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Calandagan is set to resume his rivalry with Ombudsman and last year’s third Almaqam, with fellow 2026 G1 winners Bay City Roller, Gstaad and Hotazhell also confirmed for another vintage renewal – the Champion Stakes was named the joint-best race in the world in 2025.
Stablemate Rayif captured the Poule d’Essai des Poulains in the spring and, after missing Royal Ascot with a minor setback, defeated all-aged opposition on his latest outing in the Prix Jacques le Marois.
Both horses will be partnered by Christophe Soumillon for the first time, with the Aga Khan Studs retained rider Mickael Barzalona missing out through suspension.
Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: “Calandagan and Rayif worked separately on Monday morning, with Christophe on Calandagan and Mickael on Rayif. They were straightforward pieces of work and we were very happy with both.
“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.
“Rayif won the French Guineas on a softish surface, whereas two of the races he has won at Deauville have been on fast ground, so he is completely ground indifferent. The straight track is not a concern for him either.
“We did not run Rayif in the Prix du Moulin because it was only three weeks after the Marois, plus we wanted to give Erdenali a shot at a Group One. This will be his first time travelling [overseas] but he is a very laidback horse. Although I would not be concerned about the travelling, there is always a question mark until they do it.
“Mickael would obviously have been our first choice, but we soon realised that his ban was not going to be lifted. 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.
“We left Samangan in the Sprint after we had a look at the weather forecast. He will only run if the ground is suitable.”
The 1981 Derby winner Shergar, who was owned and bred by the late HH Aga Khan IV, will be inducted into the British Racing Hall of Fame at Ascot on Saturday. His winning distance of 10 lengths remains the longest in the Classic’s history.
Routh added: “Shergar is an iconic horse. I know, from having worked for His Highness The Aga Khan for a long time, that he often spoke of Shergar’s Derby as one of the races he was most proud of. He was a relatively young owner at the time and for the horse to win it the way he did was exceptional. Anything that remembers Shergar the racehorse is always welcomed by the Aga Khan Studs because that is how we like to remember him. Princess Zahra and her family will be very honoured by this.”
William Haggas is set to have several live chances across the card, with Almeraq a short-priced favourite for the G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint.
The four-year-old edged out Japanese raider Satono Reve and Australian mare Joliestar in a thrilling G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and, following a disappointing run in the G1 July Cup, bounced back with a facile success on testing ground in the G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.
Haggas said: “Almeraq is really good. It does not look like he is going to get the weather to make him a 6/4 shot, but I think he is a pretty good horse who is in really good shape. I would be very hopeful that he will go well.
“He obviously enjoyed very soft ground at Haydock, but I thought his performance on fast ground at Royal Ascot was really good – even if it was a bunched finish – because the two he beat are pretty smart.
“I think you can put a line through the July Cup because he was drawn low and saw way too much daylight, while I am not sure he enjoyed the track much. If that’s the case, then I think his credentials for Saturday are pretty solid, whatever the ground.
“I think Division is very worthy of a place in the lineup as well. We were not planning to run him until we saw the forecast and thought that it might not be as wet as usual. He wants good, fast ground and we have left him in with the intention to run. He has been drawn in one or two most of the season and, if he can get a stall in amongst them, that will help a lot.”
Haggas’ squad also includes More Thunder in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and lightly raced filly Lilt in the G1 Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
He added: “More Thunder is really well. He is a hostage to fortune in a way because he definitely needs riding cold to allow him to warm into the race. We probably rode him too prominently when he was fifth in the Marois, having run great in the Lockinge and the Queen Anne Stakes. He has got [a big] one in him, I am sure, but he just needs a solid pace and that’s why we have Needle Match in there to go forward.
“Lilt is very interesting because her work has been very good since the Blandford Stakes. I immediately thought a mile and a half after that race, but I just wonder if that was more down to rustiness, or something else, and whether a mile and a half at Ascot is actually what she needs. The ground will give her every chance of getting the trip.
“Bullet Point, who runs Ascot very well, and Crown Of Oaks will get in the Balmoral Handicap, but it doesn’t look like Scoville will, which is a shame because he is improving. I think Crown Of Oaks is better on soft ground and there is a Listed race in Ireland on Sunday which he could go for depending on the weather.”
Ground
The going at Ascot remains Good all over following a largely dry day on Monday with just some drizzle in the air. Total rain due between now and racing is 2-5mm.
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