By Sean Cronin
Juddmonte's star distaffer Kalpana (Study Of Man), trapped wide and never really a factor in this month's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, bounced back to her best in imperious fashion and outsmarted her rivals for back-to-back renewals of Saturday's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares at Ascot.
“It was a great performance and she's been very consistent all year,” said winning rider Colin Keane. “Things didn't go to plan in France and fair play to Andrew [Balding] and the team for making the call to bring her back so quick. She's a filly that thrives on her racing, so this is brilliant.”
Ideally positioned in a stalking second for the most part and racing hard on the bridle straightening for home, the 11-8 favourite surged clear in style to settle the 12-furlong test in a matter of strides soon after passing the quarter-mile marker and stayed on powerfully once clear to easily defeat Estrange (Night Of Thunder) and Quisisana (Le Havre) by 2 1/2 lengths and 3/4-of-a-length.
“Kalpana has had a frustrating season, but looked right back to her best there,” commented Andrew Balding. “Things haven't quite gone how we wanted them to this year, but that was a pretty good performance. It was a bit of a risk running her back quickly, but she seems to thrive on it. We had the full support of Barry Mahon and the Juddmonte team, which makes a big difference. When they're right behind you, which they invariably are, it makes life a lot easier. I thought that Colin [Keane] got her in the perfect position and I didn't have many anxious moments. We thought, if she was anywhere near her best, she had an outstanding chance and it was a strong performance.”
Juddmonte's Barry Mahon added, “This is massive. This is one of the biggest days of the year in British racing and to be here with a filly like that is amazing. The owners are here and it's nice to be able to take part. To have a winner is extra special. Kalpana is tough, but it didn't work out for her in the Arc. The owners are sportsmen and said roll the dice if Andrew is happy. He gave us the green light on Wednesday and thank God he did.”
David O'Meara was not too downcast by the defeat of Estrange and reflected, “We kind of feared that the [one] draw wouldn't be helpful and we would have preferred being down a box or two to have a smoother run. Danny [Tudhope] had to force his way out, which wasn't ideal, but I thought she finished the race well and was gaining on Kalpana near the line. I think connections are talking about whether she stays in training now. She has only competed in two Group 1s and has finished second in them both, so I'm sure she has got one in her.”
SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN!
🏆 KALPANA WINS THE QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES AND MARES STAKES 🏆@Champions_Day | @Ascot | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/2xx4Zpw1Ua
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 18, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Kalpana, the eighth of 11 foals, is the leading performer from five scorers produced by Listed Prix Petite Etoile victrix Zero Gravity (Dansili), herself a full-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris-winning sire Zambezi Sun and the dual stakes-placed Shared Account. Zero Gravity is also a half-sister to G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano victor Kalabar (Kahyasi) and the multiple Group-placed G2 Prix Eugene Adam runner-up World Heritage (Kahyasi). Shared Account is the dam of four stakes performers headed by dual Group 3 winner Better Together (Oasis Dream) and G3 Prix des Reservoirs and GIII Athenia Stakes victrix Pocket Square (Night Of Thunder). The April-foaled homebred bay, who hails from the family of G1 July Cup and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye hero Continent (Lake Coniston), is kin to the unraced 2-year-old filly Seet (Too Darn Hot) and a weanling filly by Chaldean.
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS FILLIES & MARES STAKES-G1, £531,250, Ascot, 10-18, 3yo/up, f/m, 11f 211yT, 2:32.67, gd.
1–KALPANA (GB), 133, f, 4, by Study Of Man (Ire)
1st Dam: Zero Gravity (GB) (SW-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Imbabala (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Interval (Ire), by Habitat
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd; T-Andrew Balding; J-Colin Keane. £301,272. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Ire, 14-6-5-2, $1,524,560. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Estrange (Ire), 133, f, 4, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Alienate (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (425,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-A Stroud, T Stewart & J Hanly (IRE); T-David O'Meara. £114,219.
3–Quisisana (Fr), 133, m, 5, Le Havre (Ire)–Quamoclit (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). O/B-Haras de la Perelle; T-Francis-Henri Graffard. £57,163.
Margins: 2HF, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.38, 6.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Bedtime Story (Ire), Danielle (GB), Wemightakedlongway (Ire), Latakia (GB), Waardah (Ire), One Look (Ire), Ballet Slippers (Ire).
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