Calandagan on course for the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan

The gelded Calandagan enjoyed a fine three-year-old season despite not being able to contest a Classic and is the ante-post favourite for the Group One on Dubai World Cup Night (April 5) from a field that could include Rebel's Romance, Shin Emperor, Al Riffa and Giavellotto among others.

Calandagan's 2024 season began with defeat in a Listed contest on heavy ground but a brace of Group Three wins followed before he produced an impressive performance in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, a run that he backed up when beating all bar City Of Troy in the International at York before a close second back at Ascot in the Champion Stakes.

Those last two performances were over 10 furlongs and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard believes there will be more to come from Calandagan back over a mile and a half, the distance of the Sheema Classic.

"He's a horse that needs to get into his rhythm in the early part of the race so I think he's better suited by a mile and a half," Graffard said in an interview with Dubai Racing Club.

"The plan is to keep him to mile and a half races this year.

"All winter we decided he was a horse for the Sheema Classic.

"Unfortunately we have trial races at Chantilly on the polytrack and the difference between the two races was too big and I would have had to rush him coming out of the winter so I decided not to do that and take him straight to the Sheema Classic."

Calandagan has been ridden by Stephane Pasquier in all career starts bar his debut when Mickael Barzalona was in the saddle and the latter will be back on board in his new role as retained rider for Aga Khan Studs.

Barzalona partnered Calandagan in his gallop and was happy with the work according to Graffard.

"Mickael Barzalona was pleased with the horse and I think he will come on a lot for it," he said.

"The ground was good today at Saint-Cloud so it was very positive for the horse and he needed going out of the yard and getting back into the rhythm of a race on the racecourse. It was very positive and the gallop went really well."

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