Calandagan set for the Dubai Sheema Classic

“He has a great turn of foot that is wonderful to see,” said Princess Zahra Aga Khan with Calandagan the $2.45 favourite with Australian betting agencies for the $6m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

Now first-up from a five month winter break, and with new stable jockey Mickaël Barzalona in the famous greed with red silks of the late HH Aga Khan IV, he’ll jump from Gate 2 of 9 runners.

Capped as ‘an exciting proposition for middle distance Group 1 contests this season’ the Dubai Sheema Classic is run over 2410m on turf with Calandagan as a 4yo gelding is weighted on 57kg.

Speaking at the Meydan Racecourse media venue on Thursday trainer Francis Graffard said “We will ride him for himself and if he’s relaxed we know he has a chance to come home strongly.”

“Hopefully he doesn’t find himself too far back but I’m not going to make the same mistake as at Ascot and use the draw to get too close to the pace, as he needs to get into his own rhythm.”

And with the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic a ‘win and you’re in’ for the $5m Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, Francis Graffard added “I don’t expect Calandagan to race in France this season.”

In completing his 3yo season with three wins and three seconds in all his race starts, it was a half-length second to Anmaat in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, that was to be his Group 1.

However, slowly away in a field of 11 in this British Championship of 1¼m, he looked to have the race won at the furlong in the hands of Stephane Pasquier, only to run down by Anmaat.

However at his previous start, Calandagan jumped to the top of Group 1 racing with a length second to the Longines Worlds Best Racehorse City Of Troy in the International Stakes at York.

Coming wide around the final turn, Calandagan kept on in an attempt to run down the favourite and Derby winner City Of Troy, with both breaking the record set by Sea The Stars in 2009.

“It was a fantastic run,” said trainer Francis Graffard, “the way he quickened in the straight was fantastic, we were coming to get City Of Troy, but he kept pushing and he is a champion.”

“I’m very proud of our horse as it’s the first time he has run in a Group 1 and we didn’t have any Group 1 form, so there were still a lot of questions – the way he accelerated in the straight.”

Having won over 1900m as a 2yo at Chantilly, Calandagan returned as 3yo in March 2024 with a hard-fought ¾ length second to Bright Future in the Listed Prix François Mathet at Saint-Cloud.

In April he reversed the form on Bright Picture, beating him in the Gr3 Prix Noailles 2100m at ParisLongchamp, followed by the Gr3 Prix Hocquart of 2200m that earned a trip to Royal Ascot.

“He is a fantastic horse today, he was perfect,” said jockey Stéphane Pasquier with Calandagan scoring by six lengths in the Gr2 King Edward VII Stakes, “with the pace to come from behind.”

“He has been improving over the last few months,” Princess Zahra Aga Khan said on accepting the trophy “but today he surprised all of us and has shown himself to be a very good horse.”

Home bred by the Aga Khan Studs, Calandagan descends from Lagardere lines being a son of Group-placed winning Sinndar mare Calayana, by the dual 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles.

And what of the French-born Mickael Barzalona having won the Dubai Worl Cup on Monterosso in 2012, now succeeds the retired Stephane Pasquier as stable jockey for HH The Aka Khan.

Previously retained by Godolphin for 12 years, he was French Champion Jockey in 2021 and with four classics won the Epsom Derby on Pour Moi in 2011 and the St Leger with Encke in 2012.