Jan Brueghel and Calandagan - set to clash again

Royal Ascot World Pool Preview & Tips

By Graham Cunningham

Horse Racing

Sat July 26, 2025 · 5M ago

Graham Cunningham looks ahead to Saturday's Ascot card and provides his thoughts on the action.

Calandagan the star attraction as World Pool bids for a perfect ten

Eight from Ascot, two from York, one G1, one G2, two G3s and five fierce handicaps. That’s the menu as the World Pool serves up a dual site show this Saturday and, with no time to lose, here is a concise King George day ten-point plan.

1: The logic of having a seven-runner maiden (1.10) featuring four newcomers on a World Pool programme escapes me so let’s move on to the first Group race of the day…..

2: They bet 7-2 the field in the UK for the Princess Margaret at 1.40. I’m keen to oppose Flowerhead, who looked flattered in a strongly-run Queen Mary, but two obvious ones and one longshot form a short list with potential.

STAYA travelled more sweetly than Flowerhead for a long way in the Queen Mary and can reverse that form after pouncing late at Sandown, while FITZELLA ran on for fourth in the Albany and did well considering she was in the heat of battle from the off.

But don’t be surprised if AMBERIA runs a cheeky race. David Loughnane’s filly cost just two grand but she bolted up on her Leicester debut and the way she travelled when fourth in a Newmarket Listed race – finishing just behind Midnight Tango and Bella Lyra – suggests she can go well at a big price in a wide open race.

3: Over to York for the Sky Bet Dash at 2.00 and ROUSING ENCORE and POCKLINGTON both have something to recommend them.

Pocklington remains unexposed after six runs and looks fairly treated after going close to landing some good bets at Newcastle, while Ruth Carr has had a high old time at York this year and Rousing Encore appeals at double figure odds based on the way he scored over course and distance in May.

4: Back to Ascot for a very tricky looking Valiant Stakes at 2.20. ROYAL DRESS roared back to form when bolting up at Pontefract and looks sure to go well again, but this looks every inch a 7-2 the field job and I can’t find a strong angle overall.

5: Stats followers will point out that no three-year-old has won the Sky Bet York Stakes (2.40) since 2006, while pace pundits will recall that this G2 has been slowly-run several times of late.

I’m looking forward to seeing STANHOPE GARDENS again given the strong move he made from three out to one out in the Derby.

This shorter trip looks a plus for the Beckett colt but Timeform give ALMAQAM 7lb and more in hand based on his breakout defeat of subsequent Royal Ascot hero Ombudsman at Sandown and Shoemark might snag a softish lead if he goes forward here.

More Thunder edges out Aalto in a Bunbury Cup thriller

6: Previous winners Fresh and Northern Express will have their supporters again in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap at 3.00 but AALTO and AKKADIAN THUNDER make most appeal.

The BHA handicapper feels Aalto is is 5lb ahead of his mark after making the ultra-progressive More Thunder pull out all the stops in the Bunbury Cup.

Ian Williams’s gelding, who got no luck whatsover on this day last year, travelled powerfully at HQ is plainly on top of his game. He’s the main bet but Akkadian Thunder had been in great nick before disappointing (trapped out on the wing) at Newmarket and he’s well worth a saver back at a track that suits him well.

7: A big field for the Betfred Handicap at 3.35 but the top of the market looks strong with Royal Ascot form well to the fore.

Bullet Point heads the market after his fine Hunt Cup second, while Fearnot isn’t far behind him after a fine third in the Britannia.

But a small dart at the Quinella looks tempting here with a quartet made up of SISYPHEAN, COSI BELLO, BOPEDRO and TERROOM.

Sisyphean’s middle draw was no good in the Hunt Cup but he bounced back with a fine York second and this freewheeling four-year-old tops the short list with Ryan Moore aboard from the inside gate.

Cosi Bello hails from a yard who’ve struggled this year but he’s looked highly progressive in three starts thus far. Terroom got no sort of run in the Britannia and should do much better this time, while the frustrating Bopedro is hard to win with but he’s been holding his early position better of late and has little to find with Bullet Point and Sisyphean as a result.

Calandagan

8: Only five for the King George at 4.10 – and one is a pacemaker – but the quality is up to scratch and I fancy CALANDAGAN to show too much speed for Kalpana, Rebel’s Romance and Jan Brueghel.

The addition of cheekpieces to Jan B’s battle tackle is intriguing given that he rallied to turn Calandagan away in the Coronation Cup, but the French gelding didn’t handle Epsom’s camber well that day and he looked much smoother when bolting up for his first G1 score at Saint-Cloud recently.

Ascot suits Calandagan well and his overall body of work makes him a very worthy favourite. His ability to quicken in a small field could be crucial here and KALPANA gets my saver and Quinella vote as the market might just underestimate her as she returns to her ideal trip after a fine second conceding 12lb to Whirl in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.

9 and 10: Two middling handicaps to round off the day and Tenability heads the market for a muddling 4.45 after romping clear in a soft race at Windsor.

It’s hard to get a clear handle on him as he goes handicapping but the nightcap (5.15) features some bang-in-form sprint handicappers and VINTAGE CLARETS, ARAMRAM, EMPEROR SPIRIT and AZURE ANGEL are preferred in that order for anyone in the mood to finish a long day with a dart at the Quinella.

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