King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Tips: Classy 8/1 shot can trouble Ascot rivals

Ascot, Saturday, 15.35 - Back Kalpana each-way @ 8/19.00

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Kalpana

• J:
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 322271-12

There is ittle doubt the highlight of this week's action is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, a race which boasts a rollcall that reads like a who's who of Flat racing greats.

Whether it be Grundy versus Bustino, Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Shergar or the record-breaking Enable completing her historic hat-trick, the mid-summer showpiece rarely fails to deliver and this weekend's Group 1 feature looks no different.

Calandagan returns to defend crown

Last year's winner Calandagan looks set to return to defend his crown and is likely to face Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini and the talented Masquerade Ball from Japan.

The latter is a class act in his own right having gone down by just a head to Calandagan in the Japan Cup prior to chasing home Romantic Warrior over a trip short of his optimum in the QEII at Sha Tin in April.

However, this will be his first trip to the northern hemisphere, while Benvenuto Cellini won an Irish Derby which lacked strength in depth with the lightly-raced second favourite Raaheeb not appearing to stay and James J Braddock, sent off a 7/1 shot, again coltish and unable to land a blow.      

By his standards, ante-post favourite Calandagan has posted two below-par performances this summer with his shocking effort in the Coronation Cup at least superseded by a narrow defeat of Cualifcar in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this month, albeit that victory was more workmanlike than sparkling.

Ascot specialist ready to go one better

With that in mind, there could be good reason for tackling the front end of the market with Kalpana who was runner-up to Calandagan 12 months ago and has since won and been beaten a short head over course and distance.

She arguably should have won last time at Royal Ascot when she sauntered into the lead two furlongs out before being agonisingly collared on the line by Giavellotto in the Hardwick Stakes.

That performance took her Ascot stats to 31212 and two of her top three career performances on ratings have been achieved this term which suggests she is thriving at present and, if the rain forecase for Sunday arrives a little earlier, she could be further favoured.

The Study Of Man mare was kicked for home two furlongs out last year in this event and quickly put distance between herself and her field only to be worn down late on and I wonder if a slightly more conservative ride may see a different result on Saturday as she appears to be getting a little quicker as she matures.

Trainer Andrew Balding, who will bid to match his father's achievements with Mill Reef in this race, reports that she is fitter at this stage of the season than she was 12 months ago and has worked very well in preparation for this Group 1 test so, granted a fair draw, Kalpana can trouble the boys and hand Kingsclere another King George triumph.

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