Colin Keane is relishing the prospect of partnering Kalpana in Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.
The five-year-old finished seventh behind Daryz in the race last year after being forced to race wide from a poor draw.
She’s returned an improved performer in 2026, Andrew Balding’s charge winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks on her last two starts.
Her big-race jockey told Sky Sports Racing: “I’m looking forward to it. The filly has been in great form this year and couldn’t be going back there in any better form.
“All of last year we probably thought she was more effective on slower ground, and this year has proven the complete opposite. She’s been very good on quick ground all year and even York the last day, when it was a slog, it probably caught us out a little bit. We won’t mind what it turns up at the weekend.”
Keane was asked what he feels her main strength is going into the Arc and replied: “I think it’s how easy a ride she is, especially for a mile-and-a-quarter/mile-and-a-half filly. She’s so quick from the stalls you can put her anywhere then she shuts down and relaxes and can then quicken. She gets a little lonely when she gets there but just the way she relaxes and quickens are big attributes of hers.”
She showed both on a rain-softened Knavesmire last month, running down pacemaker Sugar Island after that freewheeling rival had threatened to spring a big surprise before fending off Sparan Nua in a desperate late battle.
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“She probably got there quicker than I thought she would that day. It was a bit of a Catch-22 situation, I didn't want to let them go too far but she caught me off guard by how well she quickened and got to them so easy. Then she just got lonely but that’s her.”
And now the jockey just wants luck with the draw and a clear shot at Sunday’s race.
“She ran well in it last year and things probably didn’t go quite as well as we’d have liked. Hopefully we get a relatively nice draw and a bit more luck this year,” he said.
“I think she’s going there with a very good chance. Obviously, they’re two very colts (Daryz and Maltese Cross) she’s going to be taking on but she’s taken on the boys this year and came out on top whereby last year she got beat by them.
“I wouldn’t be getting off her for anything.”
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