Crowned the Longines World's Best Racehorse in 2025 following his outstanding performance in the Japan Cup (G1T), French star Calandagan resumes racing in France July 5 for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1).
Winner of the race last year at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained gelding will attempt to defend his title against top-class opposition led by fellow French runners Aventure and Leffard, as well as Irish challenger Lambourn, winner of both the Epsom Derby (G1) and the Irish Derby (G1) last season.
Calandagan will also attempt to join the exclusive club of horses to have won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud twice. Only five horses have achieved the feat: Nino (1926-27), Tanerko (1957-58), Rheingold (1972-73), Helissio (1996-97) and Ange Gabriel (2002-03).
Calandagan has raced twice in 2026. The Aga Khan homebred, trained at Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, first captured the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1T) at Meydan Racecourse before finishing fourth in the Coronation Cup Stakes (G1) at Epsom Downs Racecourse on very soft ground.
"Calandagan worked well on Tuesday and we are very pleased with his condition," said Nemone Routh, racing manager of Aga Khan Studs in France. "He will return to a track that suits him and to a racecourse where he has already performed very well. Based on what we have been seeing at home, there was no reason not to let him run. Mickael Barzalona rode him in work this week, knows him perfectly and was very happy with him.
"Of course, we need to see him back on the racecourse after his fourth-place finish at Epsom, but we believe the circumstances that day were very unusual, with extremely soft ground on a track that does not really suit him. Now he has to show us that he is still the real Calandagan, but everything we have seen at home has been reassuring and we have no particular concerns."
Aventure will seek revenge on Calandagan, who comfortably defeated her in last year's race. Winner of the 2025 Prix Vermeille (G1), the Christophe Ferland-trained mare recently made a winning seasonal reappearance in the Prix Corrida (G2).
A total of five French-trained Thoroughbreds will line up. Among them is Leffard, trained in Pau by Jean-Claude Rouget. Runner-up in both his starts this season, in the Prix d'Harcourt (G2) and the Prix Aga Khan IV (formerly Prix d'Ispahan) (G1), he returns to 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), a distance that perfectly suits his abilities.
Three foreign-trained horses will also take part: Irish challenger Lambourn, trained by Aidan O'Brien, whose stable has already won three group 1s in France this year, together with the British-trained Eydon, fourth in the May 31 Grand Prix de Chantilly (G2) for trainer Andrew Balding, and Pride of Arras, trained by Ralph Beckett. Beckett has enjoyed notable success in France, highlighted by his victory in the 2024 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) with Bluestocking.
The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud meeting will once again be held as part of the World Pool.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
