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Calandagan Overcomes Ballydoyle’s Pace Strategy to Win 75th King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Ascot has pledged a £2 million purse for the 2026 renewal to entice three-year-olds back to the midsummer feature.

Overview

  • Calandagan claimed the 75th King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with a one-length victory after delivering a decisive finishing kick past Kalpana
  • Team Ballydoyle’s strategy of a steady pace using Jan Brueghel and pacemaker Continuous unexpectedly collapsed as both faded to fourth and fifth
  • This year’s field featured no three-year-olds, underlining concerns about classic-generation participation in midsummer Group 1 contests
  • Calandagan secured a 'Win and You’re In' berth for the Breeders’ Cup Turf and built on his track-record triumph in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud
  • In response to dwindling classic entries, Ascot has confirmed a £2 million purse for the 2026 King George to bolster the race’s international appeal