Calandagan

It would have been understandable had Pierre Gasnier felt daunted by the task at hand when he succeeded Georges Rimaud as manager of the French studs for the Aga Khan family at the start of 2025. But then, so eventful a year did it out turn to be, it was probably for the best that he didn't have much chance to stop and weigh up the enormity of his new role. For a start, this week brought with it the one-year anniversary of the death of His Highness Aga Khan...

Yesterday's piece with a selection of leaders in the French bloodstock community concluded with a teaser regarding the future stallion career of Daryz, the winner of last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for Francis-Henri Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs. Of course, there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge, and more Group 1s to be won, before a decision has to be made, but it will be a conversation all the same as to whether Daryz takes up residence at the Aga Khan family's Haras...

American and Japanese champion Forever Young (Real Steel) and the Longines World's Best Racehorse Calandagan (Gleneagles) lead the nominations for the Dubai World Cup night on March 28. Japan's dirt superstar is nominated for the G1 Dubai World Cup alongside 2024 winner Laurel River (Into Mischief) and 2025 winner Hit Show (Candy Ride), among others. In the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic is Calandagan, alongside 2024 Sheema Classic winner Rebel's Romance (Dubawi), GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Ethical Diamond (Awtaad), and 2025 winner Danon Decile (Epiphaneia). Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black),...

With a rating of 130, the Aga Khan Studs homebred Calandagan has been crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2025, ahead of five horses from four different countries who all tied for second on a rating of 128. At a ceremony to mark the Longines Racing Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on Tuesday, it was confirmed that the performance of Calandagan when winning October's G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot was the best produced by any racehorse on the planet last year. The son of Gleneagles - who also...

Ace Stud put in a dominant performance, spending over 2.5 million gns, with that spend headed by the daughter of Le Havre By Brian Sheerin and Adam Houghton Less than 48 hours on from Calandagan's record-breaking victory in the G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo, it was his year-older half-sister, Caliyza, who enjoyed her turn in the spotlight when knocked down to Ace Stud for 850,000gns during the first of the two Sceptre Sessions at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. At the close of play on Monday, Ace Stud had signed...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- It turns out that it takes the world's best horse to win what will surely be judged for the second time in three years to have been the world's best race. For 20 years the Europeans have come and failed to conquer, but Calandagan (Gleneagles), already at the summit of the world rankings for 2025 and with Mount Fuji as the backdrop for his most towering challenge to date, lowered the record of the great Almond Eye when outbattling race favourite Masquerade Ball (Duramente) to win the...

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥960,400,000, 3yo/up, 2400mT Field: Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Croix Du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}), Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Sunrise Earth (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Jpn}), Seiun Hades (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Struve (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}),...

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥960,400,000, 3yo/up, 2400mT Field: Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Croix Du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}), Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Sunrise Earth (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Jpn}), Seiun Hades (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Struve (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}),...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- For 20 years the Japan Cup has remained at home. Alkaased (Kingmambo) was the last foreign raider to wrest it from the locals, winning in 2005 for the Italian-born, British-based combo of Luca Cumani and Frankie Dettori. This time around, for the 45th running of the race, the international challenge has been whittled to just one - but he's a good one: Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles, who will jump from stall eight, is the third runner in the race for Francis Graffard, who sent out Erupt...

As updates go, being a half-sister to the Cartier Horse of the Year is not a bad one, especially when the mare in question is carrying to Calandagan's sire, Gleneagles. Caliyza has plenty more in her favour to boot. She's a dual winner by the late Le Havre and, only five, she is in foal for the first time. Offered as lot 1452 by Overbury Stud on Monday during the first of two Sceptre Sessions, the Aga Khan Studs-bred mare is returning to Tattersalls just 12 months after being bought...

TOKYO, Japan -- Under the vast, silent stand of Tokyo racecourse the best horse in the world enjoys a saunter around the turf track which will become his stage for the final act of a tremendous season. Calandagan (Gleneagles) will encounter an altogether different atmosphere on Sunday when that same grandstand will sing with the anticipation of around 100,000 racegoers come to bear witness to one of the world's great horse races.  The passion with which the Japanese fans approach racing means that the Japan Cup is more pilgrimage than...

A trio of Hong Kong heavy hitters are among the 22 Group 1 winners signed on for the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on Sunday, December 14. Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) is aiming for his fourth win in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup after winning that event the past three years. Aiming to extend his unbeaten streak to 16 races, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) targets the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Rounding out the local trio is Hong Kong Triple Crown hero Voyage Bubble (Deep Field)...