Gleneagles's Calandagan Far Too Good In The King Edward VII

21/06/2024 18:07

Following his emphatic success in Friday's G2 King Edward VII Stakes, The Aga Khan's Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}–Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) can arguably lay claim to being France's leading middle-distance performer. While the G1 Prix du Jockey Club passed him by due to his gelding operation and the Arc is not for him for the same reason, the future looks bright for the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred after his six-length success in this mile-and-a-half “Ascot Derby”.

Rewarding a numerically-strong French Royal Ascot challenge this year by becoming the first from the country to win here since 2019, the 11-2 shot who had won the G3 Prix Noailles and G3 Prix Hocquart was in his element off the strong Ballydoyle-forged pace. Arriving at the front with menace under Stephane Pasquier passing two out, he surged away to win by daylight and record a time over a second faster than the older horses in the card's Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. Continuing a banner year for the breeding operation, he was followed home by Space Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who in turn had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over the third Royal Supremacy (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}).

One for France! Calandagan runs away with the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/WkjFvOGJEZ

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024

The post Gleneagles’s Calandagan Far Too Good In The King Edward VII appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.