Calandagan

2021 b. g. Gleneagles - Calayana (Sinndar)

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard

Descending from Lagardère lines as a son of Group-placed Calayana (Sinndar), Calandagan is from the family of Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Clodovil.

The son of Gleneagles made his juvenile debut at Deauville in August, finishing third to promising Zarak colt Metropolitan despite racing wide around the track. He next start was a winning one, and an impressive one at that, as he scored by 10 lengths at Chantilly.

Calandagan returned to action in March 2024 in the Listed Prix François Mathet at Saint-Cloud, collecting his first piece of blacktype in a close-fought battle with the winner Bright Picture, the pair of them stretching clear of the field.

The following month, Calandagan made a successful reversal of form with Bright Picture, defeating him in the Gr.3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp for his first success at Stakes level. It was quickly followed up by another Group 3 win, this time in the Prix Hocquart, which set the progressive gelding up for a trip to Royal Ascot.

Calandagan fully justified his trip across the Channel, routing his rivals for a six-length win in the Gr.2 King Edward VII Stakes, which provided France with their first victory of the 2024 Royal meeting.

“He is a fantastic horse–today he was perfect,” said jockey Stéphane Pasquier. “The pace was fast enough to come from behind and everything was easy. He can be a naughty boy sometimes and we have to ask him nicely, but today he wanted to do it all and when he is like this, he is a fantastic horse. I didn't do anything, I just asked him to do it by himself.”

Princess Zahra Aga Khan, who accepted the trophy on behalf of her father, added: “He has been improving over the last few months, but today he surprised all of us and has shown himself to be a very good horse. It is not one of our oldest families, but is a very consistent family. They tend to be a mile-and-a-half horses, but he has a turn of foot that is wonderful to see.”

Calandagan returned to England in August for his first try at top level, heading to York for the Gr.1 International Stakes. Coming wide around the final turn, Calandagan kept on well in his attempt to run down the favourite, Derby winner City Of Troy. In the end, he finished second by a length, the first two home breaking the track record set by Sea The Stars in 2009.

“It was a fantastic run. They jumped very fast and then they took a pull and that didn’t suit us, as we found ourselves quite far from the lead,” said trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.

“He tried my horse, the way he quickened in the straight, it was fantastic to watch. I shouted as I was thinking we were coming to get him (City Of Troy), but he kept pushing and he is a champion.

“I’m very proud of our horse. It is the first time he has run in a Group 1 and we didn’t have any Group 1 form before, so there were still a lot of question marks – but the way he accelerated in the straight was fantastic and he is a very good horse.”

Calandagan made his final appearance of 2024 in the Gr.1 Champion Stakes at Ascot. He was slow to come out of the stalls and was trapped on the rail, but near the finish looked to have the race won before being caught on the line by Prix d’Ispahan winner Anmaat.

In April 2025, Calandagan made a trip to the UAE for the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic. Though he broke slowly, he ran a gallant second to the race-fit Japanese horse Danon Decile. Another second, this time to Jan Brueghel, on rain softened ground in the Gr.1 Coronation Cup at Epsom followed.

Back on home soil however, Calandagan finally earned his much deserved Group 1 badge in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the end of June, pulling three-and-a-half lengths clear from last season’s Arc runner-up Aventure.

His trainer commented: “The race went really well for him and I thought he was travelling much more into the rhythm of the race this time. I thought he was really impressive. After Epsom, my first conclusion was that he needed the run probably against that horse on that ground that day. I thought he came on a lot for that and I think he's gaining experience with his jockey knowing him better also.

“He's never run a bad race and he's either been beaten by a champion or circumstances. Today everything went his way and we saw how good he could be.”

In July, Calandagan proved he could be top-class on the UK turf as well as in France. Back at Ascot for the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, he defeated a small but select field of Group 1 winners, finishing a length ahead of Kalpana with the globetrotting Rebel’s Romance another two and a half lengths back in third.

Calandagan was given a well-earned break after his Ascot exploits, but returned to the same track in October for British Champions Day. In a competitive renewal of the Gr.1 Champion Stakes, he prevailed by two and a quarter lengths from favourite Ombudsman, in doing so becoming the first horse since Brigadier Gerard to complete the King George - Champion Stakes double in the same season. The victory also propelled Calandagan to the top of the world's highest racehorse rankings, and earned him the titles of Cartier Horse of the Year and Cartier Older Horse.

But Calandagan wasn't yet finished for the season. Despite being on the go since April, the globetrotting gelding was sent on the plane to Tokyo for the Japan Cup - a race not won by a foreign trained horse for 20 years, and not by a French-trained horse since 1987. With disregard for the statistics and the great challenge in front of him, Calandagan defeated the local favourite Masquerade Ball in an epic dual, which resulted in the track record being broken.

“For him to break the race-record time is incredible, and the great thing is just the list of big races he’s won," said Graffard afterwards. "It’s marvellous and it’s all down to a fantastic team at home and the support of the owner.” 

Now the winner of four Group 1 races in three different countries, Calandagan stays in training for 2026.