Calandagan will return to Ascot to try and defend his crown in the Qatar Racing Champion Stakes on Saturday week.
The Francis Graffard-trained gelding was a brilliant winner of Ascot's British Champions Day feature when defeating Ombudsman last October and he landed the sixth Group 1 success of his stellar career in this summer's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
An attempt to win back-to-back editions of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes came unstuck as Calandagan filled the runner-up spot behind Kalpana when last seen in July, but connections have confirmed the intention to take up his engagement in the Champion Stakes on October 17.
Ownership group Aga Khan Studs also stated that three-year-old colt Rayif will join his stablemate on the journey across and tackle the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile.
Both horses are set to be ridden by Christophe Soumillon, with Mickael Barzalona serving a two-day whip suspension he picked up at ParisLongchamp over Arc weekend.
"Calandagan, the winner of the 2025 Champion Stakes, and dual Group 1 winning miler Rayif will both be ridden by Christophe Soumillon on British Champions Day," a statement from Aga Khan Studs read on social media.
"They will line up in the Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes respectively."
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