QIPCO British Champions Day: Calandagan heads strong French team

French challengers have notched seven successes on Britain’s richest raceday, including Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan made a sparkling British debut at Royal Ascot in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes, in which he stormed clear to win by six lengths.

The son of Gleneagles confirmed his status as one of Europe’s leading three-year-olds when going down by a length to City Of Troy in York’s G1 Juddmonte International.

Graffard said: “Everything is well with Calandagan and he looks in very good shape. He has had a bit of time since York and, provided all goes well between now and Champions Day, he will be spot on for the Champion Stakes.

“I thought it was a fantastic run at York. He accelerated strongly and his final three furlongs were impressive. The main difference between York and Champions Day will likely be the ground, but he has form on soft ground earlier in the year.

“We have already met City Of Troy and now we take on another very strong opponent in Economics. It will be interesting to see how it pans out, and ground conditions could be a factor, but we know that Calandagan is a very good horse and look forward to the race.”

Iresine is on course to join Calandagan in the 10-furlong highlight, with the dual G1 winner having made a successful start to his autumn campaign in the G2 Prix Foy at Longchamp.

Iresine supplied his jockey Marie Velon with a breakthrough G1 success in the 2022 Prix Royal-Oak and the duo linked up again in 2023 to win the G1 Prix Ganay.

Trainer Jean-Pierre Gauvin, who has yet to saddle a runner in Britain, said: “We could have stayed in France for the Prix du Conseil de Paris or the Prix Royal-Oak, but the Royal-Oak has moved to Saint-Cloud, a track where Iresine performs worse than at Longchamp.

“The horse deserves to run in Group One races and we all collectively really want to experience this English adventure with the different co-owners, including my children. Personally, I have never had a runner in England. The distance may be short for him, but he has already won a Group race, the La Coupe, over 2,000m. The distance is not the most important factor for him. With Iresine, the key is the ground. We hope it will be as soft as possible.

“The horse is better than ever after the Prix Foy. His last outing did him a lot of good, and I think he is in top form now. I am a bit concerned about the journey, although it will be simpler than when he went to Japan.

“We could have sold Iresine several times but the ownership group I am part of chose to keep him for the sport. We do this job for the adventures as well. For a medium-sized stable like mine, we need to try to keep the good horses for as long as possible. I have already been lucky to have several horses capable of winning Group One races. When you have a more modest string, you try to compensate with the best quality of work possible.”

France has three contenders in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By QIPCO), with Classic winner Metropolitan entered alongside last year’s one-two of Big Rock and Facteur Cheval.

Metropolitan provided trainer Mario Baratti with his first Classic when taking the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains in the spring, after which he finished third in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Zarak colt will be looking to turn the tables on Charyn at Ascot, having chased home Roger Varian’s star in Deauville’s G1 Prix Jacques le Marois last time out.

Baratti said: “Metropolitan has improved again since the Jacques le Marois. He is getting stronger all the time and I have been very happy with his preparation for Champions Day.

“The plan is to go for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. We would like to try him over further at some stage, which is why he has an entry in the Champion Stakes, but I think it makes sense to stick to a mile for this race.

“I believe we can get closer to Charyn this time. Charyn was very impressive at Deauville but, in my opinion, he is better on good ground, whereas I think our horse is better on soft ground. Ascot is usually on the soft side in October and that will help our chance.”

Facteur Cheval announced himself on the world stage earlier this year with victory in the G1 Dubai Turf. Jerome Reynier’s five-year-old has raced twice in Britain subsequently, finishing sixth in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes and third in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes.

Reynier said: “Facteur Cheval is in good shape. We have been thinking about the Breeders’ Cup, but I think it makes sense to follow the same plan as last year and go back to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

“I think you can forget about his run in the Queen Anne Stakes as he lost a shoe and raced on the wrong side of the track. I thought he ran a good race at Goodwood, even though the ground was a little bit too firm for him.

“Given how he looks and the way he is training, I think we have him in better shape now than before the Sussex Stakes. His latest gallop on Saturday was very good, and I am really pleased with where we are.”

Reynier is contemplating the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes for Zarakem after his creditable sixth in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The four-year-old produced a career-best over the course and distance when second to Auguste Rodin in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Reynier said: “It was a courageous run from Zarakem in the Arc. He had a clear run round and was not beaten far. We are going to see how he recovers from the race, as he could go for the Champion Stakes or the Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp the following day.

“The Champion Stakes looks like it is going to be a very tough race with Economics, Calandagan and others, whereas the Longchamp race would be an easier option. We will see how he is.”

Beauvatier is under consideration for the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint after a fast-finishing third in the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.

Yann Barberot’s three-year-old has now hit the frame in three G1 contests so far this season, having also took third in the Prix Jean Prat and Prix Maurice de Gheest.

Barberot said: “Beauvatier ran an exceptional final straight in the Prix de la Foret and could well run on Champions Day. He showed an incredible turn of foot and was the fastest of the race in the final furlongs.

“He is training very well in the mornings, is straightforward and very consistent. He has proved again that he is a Group One horse and is improving with each race.”

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