Champion Stakes result and report | Calandagan shows his class

It had been day of shocks at Ascot, with Powerful Glory winning the Sprint at 200/1 and Cicero's Gift the QEII at 100/1, but the market leaders came to the fore in the Champion.

Calandagan, like Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz, carried the colours of the late Aga Khan and was trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Mickael Barzalona.

As a gelding, Calandagan had been prohibited from running in the Arc, but underlined how he is one of the best horses in Europe with a dominant victory at Ascot, going one better than last year when he had suffered trouble in running behind Anmaat, who also met interference in a messy renewal.

Things were much more straightforward this time around for 15/8 second favourite Calandagan who was held up off the strong gallop and was delivered with an uninterrupted challenge in the straight.

He faced a stern threat from Ombudsman, the 13/8 favourite, who was held up last of all but quickened up well down the outside to hold every chance entering the final couple of furlongs. However, Calandagan, who had won the King George over a couple of furlongs further when last seen in July, kept on strongly and looked in control with a furlong to go. He was going away again at the line.

Almaqam, who had beaten Ombudsman when in receipt of weight in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May, was no match for the front pair but just held on to third from Delacroix, the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes winner, who was short of room early in the straight.

Graffard said: "He is a fantastic horse. The way he was working coming into this race was incredible. He loves this track and Mickael knows him very well and when he took his stride in the straight he is just so beautiful to watch. Ombudsman was trying to challenge him, but he was a very good horse.

"I was dropping back in distance and I think he has been showing that he was very efficient over a mile and a half this year. I kept him fresh, and I’ve not been very greedy with him in running him too much, and the horse has given it back to us. He is a real star."

'It is easier when you have a champion'

Reflecting on how last year's race didn't work out, Graffard added: "We love horse racing and today was a beautiful horse race to watch, I thought. Last year was very frustrating as we were on the inner course and we had draw one, and it was very tactical.

"We tried to take him out of his rhythm early on and everything went against us and I was very upset with myself last year. We know him well now and he is a fantastic horse.

“He is maturing and strengthening. Before it was hard to put him in the stalls and now it is not a problem so everything is going the right way.

"I was very stressed before the race as I was expecting more tactics and it was difficult to read the racing from the beginning of the afternoon, but it has worked out well and it is easier when you have a champion."

It has been a spectacular season for Graffard who was winning his 12th Group 1 of the campaign. He said: "We have some very nice horses in the yard and it gives us the opportunity to give breaks to the good horses, because you have others that can compete at the top level too.

"The last gallop with Daryz was interesting as when you watch a gallop like that and think you have two champions it is unbelievable."

Reaction from Ombudmsan's connections

Ombudsman, back at the scene of his impressive Prince of Wales's Stakes success, and a decisive winner of the Juddmonte International when last seen, looked threatening when making headway early in the straight but was ultimately well held by the impressive winner. His rider, William Buick, said: "Ombudsman has had some season and ran a super race. We probably had a slightly awkward draw. We had a very good pace to run at and there was Delacroix, Calandagan and myself keeping tabs on each other.

"The pace was solid throughout and it was always going to be between myself and Calandagan. I took the race to him and, in the last furlong, he just pulled away. His stamina probably kicked in, being a King George winner, but I’m very proud of Ombudsman – he ran a super race and he's a high-class horse. He started pretty early, he won the Prince Of Wales's here in June and here we are in October, so he's had a long season."

Ombudsman's joint-trainer John Gosden said: “Ombudsman has run a wonderful race. He did get slightly shuffled back to last and he has tried to come from last. Take nothing away from the winner, and it was a fabulous race between two very good horses. They quickened up well – we have come from last and Calandagan has come from back there, although not quite as far back.

“It is a great win for Princess Zahra and I’m thrilled for them. There were no hiding places, the pacemakers set a proper pace and our pacemaker was only collared with a furlong and a half to go. Full marks to the winner. We were coming from behind him and that was tough from last.”

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