Calandagan too good in King George as he reels in Kalpana at Ascot

Francis- Henri Graffard's horse was strongly supported into 11/10 favouritism and he didn't let down backers, staying on strongly to run down Kalpana to win by a length.

After Jan Brueghel set his own fractions ahead of stablemate Continuous he was pushed along early by Ryan Moore as his rivals travelled more sweetly in behind.

Soon Kalpana swept to the front under Oisin Murphy and as Charlie Appleby's Rebel's Romance suffered trouble in-running she kicked a couple of lengths clear, laying down the gauntlet to Calandagan.

Mickael Barzalona had a target to aim at in the final furlong and his horse responded brilliantly, the front two two-and-half lengths clear of Rebel's Romance who ran on for third once seeing daylight.

Graffard said: “I had him the first time out at Deauville and he didn’t want to load. On his second start he dropped the jockey on the way to the stalls. I taught him to load with the starters at Deauville for four days. We struggled to load him and he showed a lot of character in the race and he was beaten into third. Then we had no choice then (to geld him), but I would prefer to have a very good gelding than a bad colt.

“I never had any doubts about his willingness to win. Every time he got beaten we had excuses. He was really far back in the Juddmonte International last year and he quickened really strongly, but probably too late.

“In Dubai he got beaten by a very good horse, but he finished strongly. At Epsom, thinking after the race I had little excuses. I couldn’t say it wasn’t he didn’t want to try and the jockey never reported that to me.

“We know him better and Mickael knows how to ride him more and he loves good ground. He loves the distance, but last year I campaigned him over ten furlongs. I think there is no more doubt about his willingness to win.

“It was (very much so a surprise that Continuous continued to take a pull.) To be fair I was upset that I didn’t put Goliath in the race today as everyone was expecting a lot of pace so I should have run Goliath too, but I’ve no regret seeing how the race was won.

“Aidan and his team do a lot of work with tactics so it is always interesting, but he is an easy ride and I’m glad he had time to catch the filly.

“Yes (I thought Kalpana might get away). It took a little time to really hit his stride. Mickael said he was waiting as that helped him to balance. He said the furlong is long here, but he knew he was going to catch her. To be fair when she kicked for home she was impressive. I thought ‘Oh my God, I’m going to finish second again.’

“I think he has proven in every single race that he is a very good horse. The way he can quicken is very impressive and his times are always interesting to look at.

“Whatever the tactics of the opposition, we will be competitive. We will see how he comes back, but he is in the Juddmonte International so why not go there.”

Barzalona said: “He actually means a lot to us and he came at the right time for me. Since last year it took a bit of time for him to win a Group One, but now we have two in a row.

“To win the King George, for sure, means a lot. He is a lovely horse to ride. He has the engine and he has a beautiful action. He does everything right.

"You just have to be careful of the jump at the start. Once he finds his rhythm he is never going to let you down.

"As a jockey I just need to put him in the right spot and he does the rest.

“All the way I was very confident and I knew I was going to get her.”

Proud

Balding said: “I was very proud of her as she has run her heart out again and was beaten by a very good horse. She has done nothing wrong and she has had every chance, but she was beaten by a quicker one on the day.

"I think that is a career best effort and we will be working back from Paris in October. That (more rain falling) would have probably helped our cause, but we can’t complain as the ground wasn’t the reason she got beat, just the winner ran faster.

"She is a class act and since those two runs in Ireland she has tightened up again. We're excited about the autumn.

"She hasn’t won a race this year so she has no penalties so the September Stakes might be an easier way in but I think we have an extra week between the Vermeille and the Arc this year so it will be one or the other. Anything is possible.

“She is in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she has had a hard enough race today, so we will work back from the Arc.

"The September Stakes though is on our doorstep, and you are guaranteed the surface, and she won it last year, but if the Vermeille looked a good shot it is a Group One at the end of the day.”

Appleby said: “He ran a solid race. It was a tactical race in a small field and no one would have expected the leader to be who it was. It was very slow fractions in the first half a mile.

“We were in that pocket and with a horse like that we know gallops we would have liked to have got out and got rolling. The rain earlier was nothing and that didn’t settle the dust.

“He will go on his travels again now and we will point him towards the Canadian International.”

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