Kalpana extracts revenge on Calandagan in King George VI

It was the same first two runners past the post as it was in last year’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but with a difference as this time it was the Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana who crossed the line first, extracting a measure of revenge on the second-placed Calandagan, the race favourite, who beat Kalpana home in the race a year ago.

The $125 rank outsider with online betting sites Action adopted a pace-making role and was sent into a clear lead early on. The $70 chance Lambourn played backup to that role … and when Mini Hauk (17-2) railed up into third, three Aidan O’Brien-trained runners filled the first three places … with Kalpana (13-2), who was already being given a gun ride by Colin Keane, the closest runner to that leading trio, while the main contenders betting-wise, Calandagan (6-5) and Benvenuto Cellini ($4) were content to keep a watching brief sitting several lengths back over the first two-thirds of the race.

Little changed until the home turn where Action cried enough leaving Mini Hauk and Lambourn disputing the lead early in the home straight.

Approaching the 300m Keane shifted Kalpana out slightly to get across the heels of those two leaders … and that slight delay put him right alongside Benvenuto Cellini, Aidan O’Brien’s main fancy, who had moved up smartly from behind Kalpana … and hard up to their outside Mikael Barzalona was revving up Calandagan and starting to put the favourite into the race.

Kalpana and Benvenuto Cellini matched strides until the Balding-trained runner managed to both shrug off the O’Brien-trained runner and hit the lead with 150m left to run … an effort which had given him first run on Calandagan and, try as the Longines 2025 Horse Of The Year might, the goal of reeling in the free-running Kalpana over the concluding stages became too hard a task for Calandagan as Kalpana kicked on to win by 1.50 lengths.

Kalpana was magnificent. Calandagan was brave, but beaten fair and square, while the three-year-old Benvenuto Cellini lost no admirers in defeat. He might have been outgunned by the winner and the runner-up, but he did finish within half a length of an absolute star in Calandagan, which speaks volumes for his ability.

The disappointment of the race was the Japanese runner Masquerade Ball (13-2) who appeared to take little interest in the race, racing towards the rear until the turn and then failing to respond to the challenge in the home straight.