'A Special mare': Keane guides Kalpana to King George glory

Kalpana outstayed French superstar Calandagan to carry off Ascot's Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday (25th July).

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 26th July 2026, by Tom Frary:

Living up to its billing, Saturday's renewal was strongly-run as expected and it was the mare who proved the strongest of the best with an emphatic success in this Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Turf 'Win and You're In'.

"She was impressive - she always improves run-to-run as the year goes on and she's a special mare,' jockey Colin Keane said of the 13-2 shot who had one and a half lengths to spare over the titleholder at the line. "To do that is amazing. You wouldn't get a more straightforward horse to ride and she makes my job so easy. We got a lovely pitch in the middle and controlled it to some degree, she's very game but she'll only ever do enough when she gets there."

Settled behind a Ballydoyle trio throughout, the Andrew Balding-trained Ascot specialist was launched in the straight and brushed aside the three-year-old Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) before surging clear The 6-5 favourite Calandagan was always playing catch-up in a renewal that tested his stamina to the full and may even have been fading late as Benvenuto Cellini stayed on to be a half-length further away.

It was widely expected that the Aidan O'Brien runners would go forward to make this a test and that is what transpired as Action (Frankel) set off with rapid sectionals with his half-brother Lambourn in behind with Minnie Hauk (Frankel). Kalpana was in behind these, with Keane always comfortable with the target on his back for Calandagan and Benvenuto Cellini and the Japanese contingent. Swinging out of a pocket as Minnie Hauk floundered approaching two out, Kalpana fired off a :11.98 penultimate split which separated her from the boys at that crucial stage. Calandagan had given his all by the time he got to the furlong pole and was flattening out to the line as the Irish Derby winner stayed going, but the winner was still faster than the second and third throughout the final furlong and there can be no arguments as to her superiority on the day.

"We thought she was coming here with a big chance, but realistically I thought if she was third to Masquerade Ball and Calandagan it would be a massive run," Keane explained. "It just shows you how tough she is. She's such a big girl, she does herself very well and Andrew said she was 10 kilos lighter today so that was a good sign."

"I thought Wayne [Lordan] would stay going longer than he did, but she comes back when you want her and can quicken nearly instantly and get you out of trouble when you need her," he added. "I think it was one of the strongest renewals of the race, with horses coming from all over the globe so for her to go and do it today is very special."