Calandagan reaffirmed his standing among Europe's elite middle-distance performers with a commanding victory in Sunday's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group 1), becoming the first gelding to win the race twice. The success marked a sixth Group 1 triumph for the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained star and provided an emphatic response to his below-par effort on heavy ground in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

Run before a large crowd under clear skies at Saint-Cloud, the 2,400-metre contest had attracted one of the strongest fields assembled in Europe this season. The early pace was genuine, with Irish challenger Lambourn ensuring there was no respite from the outset.

Settled towards the rear by Mickaël Barzalona, Calandagan still faced a sizeable task turning for home. Once balanced in the straight, he steadily reeled in the leaders before asserting late to defeat Cualificar by a neck. Sunly completed the trifecta a further three-quarters of a length away, while Lambourn faded to fifth after setting the tempo.

The victory also delivered a second Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud for Barzalona and Graffard, while extending the remarkable record of the Aga Khan Studs colours with a seventh success in the prestigious race.

Official Result

1st: Calandagan (M. Barzalona)
2nd: Cualificar (P. C. Boudot)
3rd: Sunly (C. Keane)

Time: 2:27.27
Margins: Neck - ¾ length - 4 lengths.

Patience rewarded

Princess Zahra Aga Khan acknowledged there were anxious moments as Calandagan travelled at the back of the field before producing his trademark finish.

"He's a horse we've learned to know well. And when he's last, you obviously start asking yourself questions. Turning for home, I have to admit it was a little stressful. But he's a horse with such strength and determination that if there's another horse in front of him, he'll do everything he possibly can to win. And that's exactly what he did."

Graffard revealed that restoring the gelding's confidence had taken priority over race tactics following his disappointing run at Epsom. That insight was particularly significant, as it highlighted the stable's long-term approach rather than focusing solely on the result.

"We spent quite a long time discussing the tactics. But in the end I told Mickaël: 'Forget about this race. Just let him enjoy himself. He needs to regain confidence. Ride him for himself—I don't care if we get beaten.' Of course, it's quite incredible to see him so far back during the race. What a horse! He's exceptional. My other runner, Sunly, also ran an extraordinary race. The first three really pulled clear of the rest. If he comes out of the race well, Calandagan will run in the King George."

Barzalona praised the gelding's resilience after bouncing back immediately from defeat in testing conditions.

"He's incredible. After Epsom, it would have been perfectly understandable if he hadn't bounced back immediately. Instead, he delivered straight away in an extremely demanding race. That certainly didn't make things easy for us. But once he gets into his rhythm... he's incredible, yes."

Cualificar returns to form

Cualificar produced his best performance for some time, finishing strongly to push the winner all the way.

Godolphin's French representative, Louise Benard, said the performance reflected what the team had expected after two encouraging seasonal runs.

"He ran a very good race. We were hoping to see the same Cualificar we saw in last year's Prix du Jockey Club. Before the race, we weren't worried. His first two runs of the season had been perfectly respectable. We hoped he would improve for those races, and that's exactly what we saw today. He travelled well throughout and enjoyed a good trip. There was plenty of pace, which suits him, even though the race became a bit stop-start at one stage. His jockey handled that very well. We came here hoping to win, but we're all delighted to finish second behind Calandagan and so close to him. From the outside, I'd say it's reassuring. For us, it's simply confirmation of what we expected. As for what's next, Monsieur Fabre will decide. He's a horse who performs well over this distance and isn't particularly dependent on the ground."

Sunly confirms her potential

Sunly completed a notable afternoon for the Graffard stable with one of the strongest performances of her career in third.

Graffard believes the filly is continuing to develop and indicated that major autumn targets remain under consideration.

"She ran a terrific race. She looked magnificent in the paddock. Sunly enjoyed a perfect trip just behind the leaders and finished strongly. At one point I even thought she might win. The Prix Vermeille was already one of the options, but the Yorkshire Oaks are also a possibility. She's a very late-maturing filly. The day she was beaten in the Prix de Malleret, her jockey was riding her for the first time and circumstances were against her. She's a filly I've always held in very high regard. Today, on good ground over 2,400 metres, she fully confirmed her ability. Based on her previous form, she fully deserved her chance at this level."

King George defence next

Calandagan is now expected to defend his crown in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, while Sunday's success also secured another important milestone in the ARC RACES series. As the third qualifying leg of the eight-race programme leading to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the victory earned him a Wild Card for Europe's premier middle-distance championship, provided the race conditions are met.