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