Despite having failed to get her head in front this season, Kalpana is a leading fancy for next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and Andrew Balding’s daughter of Study Of Man will have her prep run at Kempton Park on Saturday in the Group 3 September Stakes. We preview the contest here and pick out our 1-2-3 for the contest, which is live on ITV racing.
Kalpana
A fine winner of the Group 1 Fillies & Mares at Ascot on British Champions Day last season, Kalpana then kicked off her campaign with a decent third placed finish in a top notch renewal of the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh. She was then sent back to Ireland for her next run, where she took on Oaks runner-up Whirl in the Pretty Polly Stakes, and yet again she had to settle for the minor honours and finished second in what was another top notch run.
Next seen competing in the Group 1 King George at Ascot, Kalpana lost nothing in defeat when second to Calandagan in that Group 1 contest, so she heads to Kempton Park in fine fettle and will be hoping to land victory in this event before making the trip across the water to France and the Arc. She lines up in this contest as the reigning champion having cruised to a four-and-three-quarter length success in the race last season, and if she can replicate that performance then it’s hard to not see her deliver the goods once again and retain her crown.
Giavellotto
Marco Botti’s Giavellotto looks to be the main danger and the dual Yorkshire Cup winner has to be given a big chance if he can replicate his best form here. Last seen finishing third in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs, the six-year-old has yet to taste success this season, but has shown that he can tear a race apart on the front end and could well look to get Kalpana out of her comfort zone here.
A proven stayer, he’s sure to set a decent gallop from the outset and having won on the all-weather before has shown he can act on the surface. However, giving weight away he could find it difficult to get the better of the still improving Kalpana, who may just have a little bit too much class for Botti’s charge.
Rest Of The Field
Six go to post for Saturday’s contest and the betting suggests that the top two should dominate proceedings, but there are some decent horses taking their chance. A former winner of the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, Candleford has struggled to kick on out of handicap company since that success three years ago, but he was a Listed winner at Beverley earlier in the season, so the William Haggas-trained raider could play some sort of role.
Third at the Curragh last time out, Sir Mark Prescott’s Tasmania will be looking to use that Group 3 run as a stepping stone to this, and the step up in trip certainly catches the eye, but she will need a huge career best to land this prize. Runner-up in the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood last time out, Meydaan is another that adds more depth to the race, but this looks a stronger race on paper and is one that could just find things a little too hot to handle.
Ralph Beckett’s winless Satavia completes the sextet and will be merely adoption pacemaking duties for the fellow Juddmonte-owned Kalpana, and it’s highly unlikely that three-raced performer can emulate Qirat, who caused a huge 150/1 shock in the Sussex Stakes, and was used as a pacemaker.
Verdict
Rightly or wrongly, KALPANA is favourite for the Arc, but she will need to win this if she is to give her chances a boost and she should ultimately prove too classy for Giavellotto, who can get the better of Candleford in this intriguing renewal.
- Kalpana
- Giavellotto
- Candleford
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