Kalpana turned the tables on defending champion Calandagan with a commanding performance in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, earning herself an automatic place in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The five-year-old mare, trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Colin Keane, powered clear in the closing stages to defeat a high-class international field by a length and a half.

It was a particularly satisfying victory for connections after the Juddmonte homebred finished runner-up to Calandagan in the same race 12 months ago.

Kalpana’s success also completed a memorable Ascot double for Balding, who earlier saddled Moonrise to victory in the Princess Margaret Stakes.

Kalpana turns the tables on Calandagan

Keane settled Kalpana in fourth during the early stages of the mile-and-a-half contest, allowing the mare to relax as the nine-strong field made its way around Ascot.

As the race began to develop, Keane searched for racing room before guiding Kalpana towards the inside of Benvenuto Cellini. She quickly passed the three-year-old and moved into the lead with approximately two furlongs remaining.

Calandagan, who had raced towards the rear of the field, launched his challenge through the centre of the course. The 2025 Longines World’s Best Racehorse briefly appeared capable of threatening Kalpana, but the mare found another burst of acceleration when asked for her final effort.

She pulled clear to record an impressive length-and-a-half victory in a time of 2 minutes 27.72 seconds. Calandagan finished second, with Benvenuto Cellini taking third.

The international field also included Japanese challengers Masquerade Ball and Wurttemberg.

First Group 1 success against the males

Kalpana is no stranger to competing against male opposition, but this marked her first Group 1 victory in open company. Her previous two successes at the highest level had come in races restricted to fillies and mares.

The daughter of Study Of Man has now firmly established herself among the leading turf performers in the world and strengthened her position as a major contender for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Victory in the King George secured Kalpana an automatic, fees-paid starting position in the $5 million contest through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders’ Cup Turf will be staged over the same mile-and-a-half distance at Keeneland in Kentucky, where the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships take place on 30 and 31 October.

Moonrise secures Princess Margaret Stakes victory

Earlier on the Ascot card, Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy combined to win the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes with promising two-year-old Moonrise.

Owned and bred by Ahmad Alkhallafi, the Churchill filly secured her first Group success and an automatic berth in the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Moonrise arrived at Ascot with an encouraging record from her first two appearances. She won on debut over Kempton’s all-weather surface in May before finishing a close second in the 25-runner Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Murphy kept the filly in the clear and close to the pace during the early stages of the six-furlong contest. Moonrise moved ahead inside the final furlong and showed determination to withstand a late challenge from Dee’s Funny Girl.

She prevailed by a neck in a time of 1 minute 14.18 seconds, with Velozee finishing third.

Moonrise has now recorded two victories and one second-place finish from her opening three starts. Her next challenge could involve stepping up in distance, with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contested over a mile.

The two Ascot victories capped an outstanding afternoon for Balding, securing automatic Breeders’ Cup places for two exciting fillies at very different stages of their careers.

Feature image: Kalpana (GB) racing at Ascot 2026.