Calandagan, defending his ‘King George’ crown, stands on the verge of legendary status

Saturday’s eagerly anticipated Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes promises to be an absolute cracker. It truly is a world class all-age middle distance championship, writes Paul Alster.

Over the years this great race has given us memories to last a lifetime. In the 1970’s it was the ‘race of the century’, Grundy v Bustino. The following decade Dancing Brave (1986) was superb, while Nashwan’s 1989 battle with Cacoethes was the stuff of legend. The following decade saw some superb winners, including Lammtarra (1995) and dual winner Swain 1997/8), while Montjeu won in millennium year while the subsequent legendary sire Galileo scored just twelve months later.

Last decade began with the ill-fated but hugely talented Harbinger landing the 2010 renewal, bit the decade belonged to the mighty filly Enable, who won it three times; 2017, 2019 and also in 2020. The last two renewals have both fallen to France and the great trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who sent out Goliath to score in 2024 then followed up twelve months ago with the best horse in the world, Calandagan.

Both Calandagan and Goliath are set to return to the Berkshire track on Saturday afternoon to do battle, the former expected to start favourite to follow up his win last year at the expense of the fine mare Kalpana, another who will bid for the title once again. Globetrotting Calandagan followed his Ascot triumph (pictured below) with victory in the Champion Stakes back at Ascot last October, followed by success in the Japan Cup and the Dubai Sheema Classic, cementing his position as the best equine performer on the planet.

Calandagan hated the soft ground when well beaten at Epsom last month in the Coronation Cup but has already bounced back from that blip with victory in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud less than three weeks ago. He will be a very tough nut to crack. For his part, Goliath is rated 11lb inferior to his stable companion but is still a fine horse in his own right. He looked an unlucky loser in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, his rider losing his stirrups when challenging and going best inside the final furlong, resulting in the French star having to settle for this behind Giavelotto. He may well run beyond his official mark and finish in the frame.

Japanese star Masquerade Ball adds an extra element to this year’s renewal, connections doubtless tempted by the £2,000,000 in prize money that make this year’s ‘King George’ the most valuable race ever run in Britain. His official rating of a massive 128 tells its own story; he is a high-class performer who found only Calandagan a head too good for him in the Grade 1 Japan Cup in Tokyo last November. Absent for six months prior to finding just the legendary Romantic Warrior too good for him over ten furlongs last time, Masquerade Ball (pictured below) is a very serious contender giving the race further worldwide credibility. Japan has a second-strong representative in the shape of the talented Wurtenberg, beaten a nose in the two-mile Grade 1 Tenno Sho in Kyoto in May,

Aidan O’Brien saddles four runners headed by the Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini, who made amends at the Curragh for a luckless run in the Derby when he had his leg on the back of the stalls when the race began. His subsequent declaration of being a non runner – despite having chased the leaders two furlongs from home – was massively controversial. The winner of four of his last five races is a smart performer, but on official figures he has quite a bit to find if he is to cause an upset against his elders.

Benvenuto Cellini’s elders include his stable companion, the terrific filly Minnie Hauk (pictured above), last season’s Oaks heroine who gave it her all when second to Ombudsman in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time having ended last term with a very close second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. She may turn out to be best of the Ballydoyle quartet that also includes last season’s subsequently disappointing dual Derby winner Lambourn, and Action, both of whom may act as pacemakers.

My View: I think CALANDAGAN may just come out on top once again in what could prove to be another memorable contest. Japanese star Masquerade Ball will be a big danger, and course specialist Kalpana, along with Minnie Hauk may also be in the mix.