Calandagan Arrives in Peak Form to Defend His Crown in the King George at Ascot

The best horse in the world in 2025 comes off a victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and targets the double-event in the premier race of every season for older horses in England

Defending champion Calandagan looks to have hit top gear just in time as he tackles this Saturday's renewal of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), the crown jewel of the European summer season at Ascot, where he will bid to become only the fourth horse in history to record back-to-back victories in the race.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard for the silks of Aga Khan Studs, the horse crowned the Longines World's Best Racehorse of 2025 comes in backed by a recent victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), a result that saw him regain center stage while securing the sixth Group 1 win of his stellar career.

Nemone Routh, racing manager for the French operation of Aga Khan Studs, confirmed that the King George was always the primary target for the gelding this summer.

"The King George was always the main goal for Calandagan this summer. We even considered skipping the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud because we didn't want to compromise his chances here, but he came into that race in great order, and we needed to know exactly where we stood after Epsom," she explained.

According to Routh, that stepping stone at Saint-Cloud proved crucial to arriving in peak condition: "He came out of that race in great shape. Mentally, it did him a world of good as well. His regular jockey believes he improved after that performance and is peaking just right for the King George, which he will certainly need because this year's field looks even stronger. He'll have to be at his absolute best, but we know how much he loves Ascot, and he always runs well there."

The executive did not hide the immense affection the barn holds for the son of Gleneagles, who stands as one of the finest thoroughbreds to carry their silks in recent times: "He has been the perfect racehorse for us. He is so consistent and always gives everything he has. He is a top-level performer, truly special for our organization, because he took us to goals we never imagined, like winning the Japan Cup (G1)."

Routh also highlighted the French star's main athletic virtues: "He has a fantastic mind. He's a smart horse with plenty of personality. He races relaxed, without getting involved in the early battle, sitting well off the pace, and then he possesses a lethal turn of foot that he can sustain for several furlongs. Mickael Barzalona always says that once he asks him to gear up, he never stops accelerating. That is his greatest weapon."

Graffard will also be seeking to become the first trainer since Saeed bin Suroor (1997-1999) to capture three consecutive runnings of the King George, following victories with Goliath (Adlerflug) in 2024 and Calandagan in 2025. Goliath himself returns to Ascot after an unlucky third-place effort in the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot.

A total of 10 contenders were confirmed for a renewal boasting a record £2 million purse, eight of them Group 1 winners: alongside Calandagan and Goliath, the lineup features Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel), Minnie Hauk(Frankel), Lambourn (Australia), Masquerade Ball (Duramente), Kalpana (Study of Man), and Bay City Roller(New Bay).

With contenders hailing from Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Japan, the feature will once again showcase a distinctly international flavor—a global reach matched by its television footprint, with 20 broadcasters transmitting the race across 120 territories, more than triple the worldwide coverage the King George commanded just five years ago.