Overview
- On Sunday Calandagan came from the back to win the 2,400m Group 1 at Saint-Cloud under Mickael Barzalona after being drawn widest in stall eight.
- Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard had accepted blame for running him on heavy ground at Epsom and said the horse recovered in the build-up and was back to his best.
- Calandagan beat a high-quality field that included Cualificar, stablemate Sunly and leading threats Aventure and Lambourn, with draw, pace and ground seen as decisive factors.
- Connections said the Saint-Cloud run was meant as both a title defence and a confidence boost, and they now expect to target the King George at Ascot on July 25 if the horse comes out of the race well.
- The victory restores the five-year-old’s status after a dominant 2025 that included Saint-Cloud, the King George and the Japan Cup, and it matters for owners, trainer and jockey arrangements for the mid-season targets.