Latest news with #FrancisHenriGraffard
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Calandagan wins the King George at Ascot while Godolphin snares German Group One honours
Calandagan justified favourtism in devastating fashion to give Francis-Henri Graffard back-to-back wins in the Group One King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,400m) at Ascot on Saturday. The Gleneagles gelding was beaten by Jan Brueghel in the Group One Coronation Cup (2,400m) at Epsom in June but reversed the form in no uncertain terms after what looked to be a tactical mishap from Ballydoyle. From an outsiders view, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Continuous looked to be a pacemaker for his stamina-laden stablemate, but he only sat on his stablemates's shoulder and after setting a modest pace, Jan Brueghel checked out at the 400m point as Kalpana quickened clear. THE FRENCH RAIDER HAS DONE IT! 🇫🇷 CALANDAGAN WINS THE KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 The move was quickly covered by Mickael Barzalona on Calandagan, however, and the $1.7 favourite assumed command in the final furlong to defeat Kalpana by a length. The doubters who surfaced after his Epsom defeat were quickly silenced, though there was plenty of anxious moments for Graffard. 'Aidan and his team put a lot of work into the tactics and it's always interesting, but Calandagan is an easy ride and I'm glad he had time to come and catch the filly,' Graffard told the Racing Post. 'Mickael said the last 200 metres are long here and he knew he was going to catch her, but when she kicked for home she was impressive and I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm going to finish second by a neck again'.' What a finish to the feature in Greyville! 🤯🇿🇦 GLADATORIAN gets up on the line to defeat The Real Prince in the G1 HKJC Champions Cup. #WorldPool | @HKJC_Racing — World Pool (@WorldPool) July 27, 2025 Rebel's Romance, a Group One winner in Hong Kong last year, was denied a clear run at the top of the straight but stuck on well to finish third. On Sunday, Greyville's Group One Champions Cup (1,800m) went the way of the Stuart Ferrie-trained Gladatorian, who came late to deny The Real Prince by half a length. Hong Kong-based Keagan De Melo finished third aboard See It Again, who came there travelling best of all but ultimately did not quite see out the trip. On the same day in Germany, the Group One Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2,000m) was won by Saeed bin Suroor's Tornado Alert, defeating Graffard's Map Of Stars by a comfortable two-and-a-half lengths.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Calandagan storms to King George glory, reinforcing Dubai Racing Carnival form
The Dubai Racing Carnival has once again proven its global significance as a launchpad for elite racing success, with French favourite Calandagan storming from behind to capture the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1) at Ascot on Saturday. Ridden confidently by Mickael Barzalona, Calandagan upstaged Juddmonte's Kalpana and Godolphin's Rebel's Romance inside the final furlong to seal a dramatic win in Britain's richest all-aged flat race worth £1.5 million. In doing so, he became the fourth French-trained winner of the race this century and delivered back-to-back victories in the King George for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, following Goliath's triumph last year. The victory also marked redemption for Calandagan, who had finished second to Japan's Danon Decile in the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai earlier this year, further underlining the Dubai World Cup Carnival's reputation as a proving ground for global champions. Class and Timing The 11-10 favourite had also narrowly missed out on Group 1 success last month when edged by Jan Brueghel (who finished fourth on Saturday) in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. But this time, Calandagan's class and timing were undeniable. Barzalona, Godolphin's retained rider in France, tactically bided his time at the back of the five-horse field as Ryan Moore attempted to steal the race from the front aboard Jan Brueghel in a highly tactical renewal of the 2,400 metre contest. But with Rebel's Romance boxed in on the rail and William Buick desperately searching for daylight, and Kalpana forced wide, Barzalona found a perfect passage and capitalised on it for a maiden success in the contest. 'We know his quality, and though the ground was quicker, he's one of these top-class horses,' said Barzalona. 'Once I saw Continuous (5th) beside Jan Brueghel and Rebel's Romance trapped, I was happy where I was. I just followed Oisin [Murphy, on Kalpana] and waited for the right moment.' The victory also marked redemption for Calandagan, who had finished second to Japan's Danon Decile in the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) earlier this year, further underlining the Dubai World Cup Carnival's role as a proving ground for global champions. Rebel's Romance: Unlucky in Defeat Despite the small field, the race was not without drama for Rebel's Romance, the Dubai-owned superstar and Godolphin's most successful horse in history. Hemmed in for much of the race on the running rail, the son of Dubawi was only able to find an opening in the final furlong. But even though he shifted gears readily, it was a case of too little, too late, and he could only manage a fast-closing third. Even in defeat, Rebel's Romance continues to stand tall, with 18 career victories, including 14 in Group races and seven at the top level. His elite wins span continents, from North America and Germany to Hong Kong and Dubai, where he claimed the 2023 Dubai Sheema Classic. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Rebel's Romance was attempting to become the fifth Godolphin-trained winner of the King George, following legends such as Swain (1997 & 1998), Daylami (1999), Doyen (2004), and Adayar (2021). While Saturday didn't yield another title, his place in the stable's storied history is long secured. Meanwhile, Kalpana's gallant runner-up finish has seen her odds slashed for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, now sitting at 8-1 (from 16-1) with most major bookmakers. The Juddmonte-owned filly, trained by Andrew Balding, showed she belongs at the top level and is clearly on an upward trajectory. King George to become UK's richest race In a landmark announcement made on Saturday, it was confirmed that the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes will become Britain's richest race in 2026, with a prize fund increased to £2 million. First run in 1951, the Midsummer Group 1 remains a highlight of the Flat season and has been won by greats including Nijinsky, Shergar, Dancing Brave, and Galileo.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Calandagan finally wins his big one as he comes from last to first in the King George at Ascot
CALANDAGAN has been called lots of names over the last 12 months, not many of them nice. Well, now he'll forever be known as a King George winner after a performance which silenced the doubters in no uncertain terms. 1 The horse who long seemed destined to go down as one of the game's great bridesmaids had every opportunity to throw in the towel when Kalpana quickened away and push came to shove. He could have folded like a cheap suit when asked to make a lung-busting run after the filly who'd got first run and was getting 3lb, or hoisted the white flag when eye-balling her in the heat of battle. Instead, he dug deeper than the Channel Tunnel to give his burgeoning trainer Francis-Henri Graffard — a coming force on the world stage — his second King George in a row. Magnifique. Not so the Ballydoyle tactics, which even left Graffard and winning jockey Mickael Barzalona scratching their heads. Here they had the 5-2 second favourite in Jan Brueghel, a horse with abundant stamina who outstayed Calandagan at Epsom two months ago and for whom a strong, end-to-end gallop was vital. Everyone expected the 40-1 rag Continuous to set off on his usual pace-making duties to ensure it wasn't a tactical race. Puzzlingly, he was dropped in behind his stablemate and they ended up going a crawl as Jan Brueghel did the donkey work. It made little sense — not that Barzalona was complaining. He was on the horse with the best turn of foot, so he must have been licking his lips. Mind you, Andrew Balding's fine filly Kalpana showed an impressive burst of her own as she kicked for home at the two-furlong pole. Oisin Murphy moved up going strongly as Jan Brueghel struggled to go through the gears as the pace lifted before she suddenly exploded two or three lengths clear. It looked for the best part of a furlong that Calandagan would be unable to reel her in but, as all the top-class ones do, he quickened once, quickened twice and was going away by a length at the line. He was second in the Juddmonte International, Champion Stakes, Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup — but he's the Chantilly shirker no more. Graffard said: 'I never had any doubts about his will to win, when he's been beaten he has had excuses. 'He was really far back at York last year and he quickened really strongly, probably too late. He was beaten by a good horse in Dubai and at Epsom things didn't go to plan. 'I never thought it was because he didn't want to try and his jockeys have never reported that to me either. 'This is the fifth time Mickael has ridden him, he has been getting to know him and knows what to do on him now. There is no doubt anymore about the horse.' In hindsight, maybe Murphy could have held on for a few more seconds on Kalpana before committing her for home. But Balding was chuffed with the run as she continues to build towards her D-Day in the Arc. He said: 'I'm very proud of her, she's run her heart out again and just been beaten by a good horse. We'll work back from the Arc, now.' It looks like the Juddmonte International at York is next on the agenda for Calandagan, where a mouthwatering showdown with Field Of Gold awaits. Tres bien. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Calandagan lands King George victory to seal repeat success for trainer Graffard
Calandagan, the 11-10 favourite, passed all four of his rivals in the home straight here on Saturday to win the 75th running of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It gave his trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, a second successive win in the Ascot showpiece after Goliath's 25-1 victory 12 months ago. Kalpana, the only filly in the race, struck for home inside the final quarter-mile under Oisin Murphy and opened a useful lead, but Calandagan and Mickael Barzalona were soon eating into her advantage with every stride and Calandagan was in front with a dozen strides to spare. He was a length clear of Kalpana at the line, with Rebel's Romance next across the line and Jan Brueghel, who beat Calandagan into second place in last month's Coronation Cup, fourth. This story will be updated.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Calandagan storms to King George triumph at Ascot
French favourite Calandagan came from behind to pass Kalpana and win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at ridden by Mickael Barzalona, provided trainer Francis-Henri Graffard with his second successive triumph after Goliath last 11-10 favourite's attitude was questioned after he lost out in a tight finish to Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month but there was no doubting his resolution this time."I'm so pleased for this horse," said Graffard after Calandagan, running in the green and red colours of the Aga Khan, won by a Brueghel, trained by Aidan O'Brien, made the running at a steady pace before eventual runner-up Kalpana hit the front going to the final furlong. Rebel's Romance, who was boxed in on the rail, finished third in the five-runner race. The King George is a highlight of the Flat racing season and it was announced on Saturday the contest will become Britain's richest race next year with a prize fund of £ a purse of £1.5m this year, along with the Derby at Epsom, its roll call of winners include greats such as Nijinsky, Shergar, Dancing Brave and 2025 King George renewal was the 75th running of the race and came 50 years after Grundy beat Bustino in an epic billed as 'the race of the century'.
