Who Is Calandagan? The Gelding Defending His Champion Stakes Crown at Ascot

Calandagan racehorse: who he is and why he's at Ascot

Calandagan is a 5-year-old gelding owned and bred by Aga Khan Studs and trained in Chantilly, France, by Francis-Henri Graffard. He's the defending champion in the G1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, and he'll try to win it for the second year in a row.

The Calandagan racehorse story has a twist this week: a new rider. Aga Khan Studs confirmed on Oct. 9 that Christophe Soumillon will ride him because regular jockey Mickael Barzalona is serving a two-day whip suspension picked up at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend.

Soumillon also rides the stable's 3-year-old miler Rayif in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on the same card. Important: the race has not been run yet. Everything below is a preview, not a result.

His record: six Group 1 wins in four countries

Calandagan is by the sire Gleneagles. He was gelded early in his career, and he became a top-class horse at 3. In the 2024 Champion Stakes he finished second, beaten half a length by the outsider Anmaat.

Then came 2025, the season that made him the world's best racehorse.

A few details that matter:

• Japan Cup, Nov. 30, 2025: He was the first foreign-based winner since 2005 and set a track record of 2:20.3.
• 2025 honors: He was named Cartier Horse of the Year and rated the world's best racehorse. Longines rated his Champion Stakes win the best performance in the world that year.
• Saint-Cloud, July 5, 2026: He came from near the back to win by a neck and became the first gelding to win the race twice.

His 2026 season so far

2026 hasn't been perfect. He won the Dubai Sheema Classic in March, then ran poorly in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June, finishing fourth of six as the favorite, 41½ lengths behind Bay City Roller on officially good-to-soft ground. He bounced back at Saint-Cloud.

In July he tried to win the King George again but finished second to Kalpana. Aga Khan Studs racing manager Nemone Routh told TDN he was "a bit tired that day" and has really benefited from the break that followed. Ascot will be his first run in nearly three months.

Why a gelding can't go to stud, and races longer

A gelding is a castrated male horse. Castration is a routine surgery done by a vet, and it removes the source of most of a stallion's testosterone. For many young colts, that means a calmer, more focused horse who is easier to handle and train.

The trade-off is permanent: a gelding can never breed. That changes the whole business plan.

• Colts: A top colt's biggest value is often his future stud career. Many retire at 3 or 4, once they've proven themselves, because breeding fees can be worth more than prize money. (See how stud fees work for the economics.)
• Geldings: All of a gelding's value is on the racetrack. So owners keep racing them as long as they're sound, happy and competitive. That's why Calandagan is still at the top at 5.
• The catch: Some of Europe's biggest races have been closed to geldings. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe barred them, so Calandagan has never been able to run in it. France Galop proposed a change, and in September the European Pattern Committee approved opening the Arc to geldings from 2027.

That's also why his stablemate Daryz, a colt, carried the Aga Khan colors in the Arc. Read our Arc de Triomphe 2026 recap for that story.

What weight-for-age means at Ascot

The Champion Stakes is a weight-for-age race. That's different from a handicap, where every horse gets a weight based on its rating.

Here's the idea in plain terms:

1. Younger horses are still maturing. A 3-year-old in October is still not quite as strong as a 4- or 5-year-old.
2. So they carry less weight. The rules give 3-year-olds a set allowance of a few pounds compared with older horses.
3. Fillies and mares get an allowance too. In the Champion Stakes, it's 3 lb.
4. Otherwise it's equal. There's no extra weight for being the best horse. Calandagan carries the same weight as every other male aged 4 or older.

That's why Group 1 weight-for-age races are seen as the fairest test of class. If you're new to the race levels, start with our explainer on what a Grade 1 or Group 1 race is.

Champion Stakes vs. QEII: 10 furlongs vs. a mile

On Saturday, the two Aga Khan horses run in races that test different things.

• Champion Stakes (Calandagan): about 1 mile 2 furlongs, roughly 2,000 meters. Horses need speed and stamina, so it suits horses who also win at 1½ miles, like Calandagan.
• Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Rayif): 1 mile, about 1,600 meters. It's a pure miler's race, where tactical speed and a sharp turn of foot decide a lot.

One way to picture it: two furlongs is about 400 meters, roughly an extra quarter-mile. That's enough to change which horses can keep a strong pace all the way to the line.

Who is Rayif?

Rayif is a 3-year-old colt by Sea The Moon, also trained by Graffard. He won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) at ParisLongchamp in the spring, then beat older horses in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. The Rayif Queen Elizabeth II Stakes run is a bid for his third Group 1 win of the season.

What to watch on Saturday, Oct. 17

British Champions Day has five Group 1 races. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. UK time, and the first race is at 12:55 p.m. Here's your checklist:

• The ground: Calandagan was beaten 41½ lengths on good-to-soft ground in the Coronation Cup in June. Check the official going on race morning.
• The Calandagan Soumillon partnership: TDN reports it's the first time Soumillon has partnered either Calandagan or Rayif.
• Freshness: He's coming off nearly three months off after the King George. His team believes the break will help.
• The QEII: Watch Rayif against older milers. Our British Champions Day 2026 guide covers the full card.
• What's next: Back in March, his trainer mentioned the Breeders' Cup, the Cox Plate and a return to the Japan Cup as possible future targets. Nothing is confirmed after Ascot.

New to racing terms like "furlong" or "going"? Our glossary has you covered. More stories are on the Trend Desk.