Calandagan invades from France and conquers the King George (JTW Equine Images)
By JTW Equine Images
Cheese. The Jet Set. Painting their fighter jets. Wine.
And now it appears that France can add globe trotting superstar horses to the list of things they are excellent at producing.
Fed up with being unable to keep their premier middle distance race in their hands for more than a year, it appears that the top French horses are regularly raiding British shores to take a punt at their top prizes, in a bid to inflict the same on them as they seemingly receive at home every first weekend in October.
And usually, they take more than a crack at it. They take it home with them across the Channel.
Last year Goliath stormed home in a canter, beating that season’s Arc winner Bluestocking in the process, and last Saturday the current favourite Kalpana was forced to settle for second as Calandagan swept by her with a furlong to go to give Francis-Henri Graffard his second King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 12 months under a beautiful ride from Mickael Barzalona.
If you are Juddmonte, you have to wonder how you are going to win your first King George since legendary mare Enable did in 2020, especially as the last 3 renewals have resulted in the runner up spot on each occasion.
A healthy bit of prize money, yes. A healthy slice of the pot for Ascot’s richest ever contest. But not that top podium spot which owners prize more than anything.
Standing in their way this time was the pride of Francis-Henri Graffard, who had been supported into favouritism in the moments before the off and whom finished the race with a devastating turn of foot that saw off the opposition and gave the gelding his much, richly, deserved Group 1.
Westover. Bluestocking. Kalpana. All have gone to win their King George, and follow in their esteemed colleague’s hoofprints.
And all have found one too good on the day.
But it could have been so much more than that, and so much different.
Continuous, a classy sort in his own right and deserving of his place in the race, was earmarked for the pacemaker duty for the clear number one string in Jan Brueghel, the Piastri to their Norris, the Tsunoda to their Verstappen, in this formula of Group 1 drama.
However, it turned more into effectively a virtual safety car from Continuous, who sat on the outside of the first string, not managing to go forward on a sedate early pace.
Tactical, yes. But it meant that a shield wall was up in front, making the three remaining rivals consider another method to batter down the Ballydoyle front line and get a crack at the prize ahead.
And there appeared to be weaknesses coming to the fore already, with Ryan Moore pushing along on his mount, seemingly a polar opposite to the usual comfort and sheer confidence Jan Brueghel brings from his riders.
Once that weakness showed, his rivals started to take advantage.
Oisin Murphy on Kalpana found the first opportunity to draw first damage, peeling three wide into the straight and setting sail for home with two furlongs to go.
Jan Brueghel was outpaced, and Continuous dropped back as the race heated up, the Ballydoyle operation floundering quicker than their pace was for the majority of the race.
Clearly, they were a spent force, and with no reinforcements to hand, it was going to take another warrior to repel the force ahead, the filly getting a two length jump on her rivals as the field went past the two pole.
It was time for a hero to rise. And so they came forth.
Mickael lowered the drawbridge and sallied after Kalpana aboard his mount, whilst Rebel’s Romance effectively ran into the battlements of the Ballydoyle fortress. Trapped behind Jan Brueghel, wavering himself off the rail and back to it, his challenge was spent.
And despite getting some daylight and finally shaking the chains of Ballydoyle from him, he was destined for no more than third as the focus of the race aligned with the filly and the French raider.
With just over a furlong to go fears started to run into the minds of the favourite, as it appeared that the omen of his Coronation Cup defeat to Jan Brueghel would strike again.
Back at Epsom he failed to reel in his now avenged conqueror, losing to them by a neck on the downs.
And in the sunshine in Berkshire, he seemed to hit a flat spot, where as Kalpana kept on going and looked to have repelled her most efficient challenger.
But this was a horse that was firmly fixated on victory, and his resolution would not be questioned upon, with him and Barzalona drawing clear in the final furlong to score by a length.
Kalpana came home in second, the unlucky Rebel’s Romance in third, with the Ballydoyle pair of Jan Brueghel and Continuous vanquished and trailing in penultimate and last respectively.
Normally winning a prestigious contest would elate any trainer, however it came as a bit of a staggering realisation for the winning handler.
“It was a surprise”, Francis-Henri Graffard openly stated to the assembled media. “I didn’t put Goliath in the race because of a lot of pace!”
“I have no regrets!”, he admitted thereafter.
He may have been having kittens instead of regrets had his charge been unable to reel in the filly, but whilst it took time for the horse to find his rhythm and stride into the home straight, Graffard was confident of the ride Mickael had given the winner.
“I never had any doubts about his will ( to win )“. “Every time he has got beat we have had excuses.”
For example, he made steady work and quickened up well to just fail to catch star three year old City Of Troy in last year’s Juddmonte International at York, and in Dubai in the spring he once again finished strong, only to just fail to catch the winner Danon Decile in the Sheema Classic.
The step up in trip seemed to confirm that he has the heart of a warrior, and simply does not know when to give in.
“He loves the distance! I think there is no more doubt about his willingness to win!”
“I think he has proven in every single race that he is a very good horse. The way he can quicken is very impressive!”
“Mickael said he was waiting as that helped him to balance, and that the last 200 metres are long”, and whilst he jockey never seemed to doubt his partner, the trainer felt he was going to be second again, just like last time at Epsom.
However this time the result was not in any doubt for the team, as it transpired Mickael was very happy all the way around as he was comfortable to sit behind his main rivals and watch them fight their way through the field.
“I followed Oisin through and made my move…. We hit a flat spot, but he went into top gear and I knew we would get there”.
“I knew I was going to get her”.
“To win the King George means a lot. He is a lovely horse to ride. He has the engine, and he has a beautiful action.”
It appears that a trip back to the Knavesmire may be in store for the winner, and a repeat crack at the Juddmonte International next month.
However, further targets appear to be a globetrotting fashion, perhaps Japan for the Japan Cup or a trip to the Breeders Cup, should the situation arise.
“I wouldn’t mind coming back in trip, then going to Japan at the end of the season”.
“I have to discuss it with the Aga Khan team and Princess Zahra.”
Personally, for the writer, I would hope they will look towards the Dubai Sheema Classic, as that would be nicely set up for him, especially as he has shown the capability he has always hinted at.
The only tinge of disappointment on the day echoed that of 12 months ago, with the winner unable to compete in the Qatar Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe due to them being a gelding.
It did however leave the door wide open for Kalpana to become the new favourite for the race, with a general 7/1 being seen across the boards for the big race in October at the illustrious ParisLongchamp racecourse.
Her next port of call is undecided, but the Prix Vermeille at the aforementioned course and the September Stakes at Kempton Park on the all-weather seemingly the next step on their journey.
Whilst she holds an entry for the Yorkshire Oaks, it appears the trainer Andrew Balding will not be taking up that assignment, for the view to bigger things appears mostly on his agenda for her.
“”I’m very proud of her….. a career best effort”, he stated to the press after the celebrations.
“She’s run her heart out again and done nothing wrong. She’s a class act and come on again from her previous runs”.
“We’re excited by the autumn, for as she hasn’t won a race this year so she has no penalty. If the Prix Vermeille looked good it’s a shot, it is a Group One at the end of the day”.
“There’s an extra week between that and the Arc this year. Anything is possible.”
“We will be working back from Paris in October.”
Charlie Appleby said of Rebel’s Romance that he ran a “solid” race.
“We were in the pocket, ( whereas ) we would have liked to have got out and got rolling.
“He will go on his travels again now, and we will point him towards the Canadian International ( at Woodbine ).”
Three different targets, for three exceptional horses.
Better get thinking as to which one deserves the Horse Of The Year Award at the Cartiers.
For on the basis of Saturday’s viewing, any one of them could be in with a shout.
Perhaps Del Mar in November will hold all the answers. Perhaps ParisLongchamp will see something spectacular. Perhaps Japan will become the focus of the world’s equine fans and press alike.
But one thing is for certain, given the quality on show under the Berkshire sunshine.
Autumn is heating up.
