Calandagan delivered a stunning performance to win the £1.5 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot, overcoming tactical challenges posed by the Ballydoyle team. Despite a slow early pace set by Jan Brueghel and restrained pacesetting from Continuous, Calandagan produced a powerful late surge under jockey Mickael Barzalona to overtake Kalpana in the final furlong, securing back-to-back King George victories for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. The win also earned Calandagan an automatic entry to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar in November.

Looking ahead, Graffard plans to target the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York and possibly races in Japan, confident in Calandagan’s versatility and strength. Meanwhile, Ascot announced a prize increase for the King George to £2 million in 2026, aiming to maintain its status as Britain’s most valuable and internationally prestigious midsummer race amid growing global competition.