Calandagan Faces Just 5 Rivals in His Bid to Repeat in the Champion Stakes

The defending champion will face Ombudsman once again in the feature race of British Champions Day, to be held this Saturday at Ascot. Bay City Roller, runner-up in the Arc, will be another key figure in a card featuring five G1events and several of Europe's top horses

ASCOT, England (Special for Turf Diario).— Calandagan (Gleneagles) will face just five rivals in his bid to capture the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (G1) for the second consecutive year, the centerpiece of British Champions Day this Saturday at Ascot. The extraordinary Aga Khan Studs representative will once again square off against Ombudsman (Night of Thunder), whom he defeated twelve months ago, in a showdown that promises to be one of the afternoon's premier attractions.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan will seek to rediscover his absolute best form following a European campaign in which he did not always display the utter dominance that previously propelled him to the top of the world rankings.

His victory in the 2025 Champion Stakes, when he defeated Ombudsman by 2 1/4 lengths, was recognized as the single highest-rated performance in the world that season. He subsequently confirmed his elite standing with a historic triumph in the Japan Cup (G1).

Now he returns to Ascot's 2000 meters aiming to defend his title against a compact yet high-caliber field.

Ombudsman, trained by John and Thady Gosden, will once again figure as his main opponent in a renewal of the rivalry they sparked last season.

The presence of Bay City Roller (New Bay) adds even greater intrigue. The George Scott trainee returns to action just thirteen days after finishing second to Daryz (Sea the Stars) in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), a performance that solidified his standing among Europe's top stayers.

The drop back from 2400 meters at ParisLongchamp to 2000 meters at Ascot will pose a significant test, though his recent form makes him a primary contender.

Also set to line up is Constitution River (Wootton Bassett), the sole representative for Aidan O'Brien in the feature. The Irish trainer had supplementary-entered the colt for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) over the mile, but ultimately opted to keep him at 2000 meters for the Champion Stakes.

The line-up is completed by Devil's Advocate (Too Darn Hot), a stablemate to Ombudsman tasked with setting the early tempo, and Almaqam (Lope de Vega), trained by Ed Walker, who finished third in this very race last year.

Hotazhell Off to the Breeders' Cup

One of the most notable defections is Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot), who originally loomed as a threat to attempt a rare double achieved by very few.

The Jessica Harrington trainee was coming off a victory in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and aimed to become just the third horse since 2011 to win both that contest and the Champion Stakes in the same season.

The previous horses to complete the double were Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) in 2016 and Magical (Galileo) in 2019.

However, Harrington decided to reroute her star and save him for the Breeders' Cup: "We just made the decision to go to the Breeders' Cup," the trainer explained on Thursday.

His absence reduces the field to six, though it takes nothing away from the importance of a race that once again gathers several of Europe's top middle-distance horses.

Rayif and Gstaad Face a Rising Rival

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1), contested over 1600 meters, will feature 11 runners, led by Talk Of New York(Wootton Bassett), the Charlie Appleby trainee supplemented into the race following his commanding victory in the Joel Stakes (G2) three weeks ago at Newmarket.

The Godolphin colt arrives in peak form and must face top-flight opposition. Heading those rivals is Rayif (Sea the Moon), trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, who comes off a victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) and will seek his third top-level victory of the campaign.

Also lining up is Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas (G1), who will represent Aidan O'Brien alongside Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett).

Another notable runner is Zavateri (Without Parole), making his final start under the care of Eve Johnson Houghtonbefore beginning his stallion career.

They are joined by Ten Bob Tony (Night of Thunder), trained by Ed Walker, who returns to the track where he scored a surprise victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Caballo de Mar, Top Figure Among Stayers

The first of the day's five G1 events will be the Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup, attracting a field of 10. One of the main attractions will be Caballo de Mar (Phoenix of Spain), trained by George Scott and a two-time winner of the Prix du Cadran (G1), one of the most demanding tests on the French calendar for stayers.

Among his rivals is Highwayman (Persian King), recent winner of the St Leger (G1), representing the yard of Joseph O'Brien.

With Scandinavia (Justify), another towering figure in European staying ranks, sidelined for the remainder of the season, Aidan O'Brien will send out Queenstown (Galileo) and Amelia Earhart (Camelot).

The field also includes Gregory (Golden Horn), from the John and Thady Gosden stable; Amiloc (Postponed), trained by Ralph Beckett; and Daiquiri Bay (New Bay), winner of the Ebor Handicap for trainer Alan King.

Almeraq and Kalpana, Formidable Names

The British Champions Sprint (G1), over 1200 meters, has drawn 16 entries, with Almeraq (Dark Angel) standing out as one of the marquee names. The William Haggas sprinter is enjoying a banner season, highlighted by victories in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Sprint Cup (G1) at Haydock.

His main threat could come from Kind Of Blue (Blue Point), trained by James Fanshawe and winner of this same event in 2024.

Meanwhile, the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) will feature Kalpana (Study of Man) as its central attraction in her quest for a historic milestone.

The Juddmonte mare, trained by Andrew Balding, will attempt to win the race for the third consecutive season, a feat no horse has accomplished since the creation of Champions Day in 2011.

Her presence also carries major weight in the battle for the British trainers' championship, where Balding is seeking his maiden title in a tight race against Aidan O'Brien.

Kalpana arrives following a fifth-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but possesses the proven precedent of bouncing back from a similar performance in 2025 to score at Ascot.

A Card of Supreme Quality

The program will also include the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes, where Inner City Blues (Blue Point), trained by Charlie Appleby, and Arapaho Gold (Bayside Boy), from Michael Dods' yard, rank among the leading contenders.

Bringing the day to a close will be the Balmoral Handicap, featuring a crowded field of 23 runners.