Calandagan 'could be even better over a mile and a half' as French ace gears up for seasonal return with racecourse gallop

Calandagan, one of the best three-year-olds in Europe last year, took a major step towards his return to action on Thursday with a racecourse gallop under blue March skies at Saint-Cloud.

The unseasonably warm weather and drying ground will have been a welcome sight for trainer Francis Graffard as he prepares last season's Juddmonte International and Champion Stakes runner-up for his seasonal debut in the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic on April 5.

That means stepping back up to a mile and a half for the first time since running away with the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last June, and Aga Khan Studs' racing manager Nemone Routh expects that 12-furlong distance to be Calandagan's optimum as the season in Europe progresses.

Calandagan and Mickael Barzalona return from a raecourse gallop at Saint-Cloud

"He needed that piece of work but he still did it well and we’re happy with him," said Routh. "He’s competitive in Group 1s over a mile and a quarter as he showed last year.

"I think the issue is he doesn’t really like to lay up with a fast pace early on over a mile and a quarter, it runs against his aptitudes. It’s slightly against what he’s comfortable doing and that’s why we think he might be even better over a mile and a half, it just gives him a bit more time to find his stride and get in his ‘bubble’.

"He was very impressive at Royal Ascot. Obviously he’s up against better horses in Dubai but he didn’t stop that day when he hit the front, he kept extending."

Graffard opted not to take in a trial on the all-weather with Calandagan, and the unseasonable warm spell means the ground was riding good at Saint-Cloud on Thursday.

"He’s not a very heavy horse so he probably doesn’t take as much work as some male horses, but he has had some time off over the winter so is clearly not race-fit," said Routh.

"When he goes to Dubai he’ll be up against horses who are race-fit, so it was important to get a gallop into him.

"We’ve been working him on Les Aigles [Chantilly], where the ground has been quite soft and the section they have open at the moment is quite small, so it was good to get him on a more galloping track and going left-handed, which is what he’ll face in Dubai."

Calandagan: finished second behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte InternationalCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Among Calandagan's Sheema Classic rivals already to have run this year are defending champion Rebel's Romance, as well as recent Riyadh winner Shin Emperor, one of four possible Japanese representatives.

Further European interest among the likely field comes in the shape of Hong Kong Vase winner Giavellotto for Marco Botti, the Owen Burrows-trained Deira Mile, and Al Riffa from the Joseph O'Brien yard.

Mickael Barzalona, the Aga Khan Studs new retained rider, was on board for the gallop and will ride Calandagan for the first time since he made his debut at two.

Routh said: "Mickael was very happy with him. He's ridden Calandagan in all his pieces of work since he came back from Dubai, so that’s the third time he’s sat on him this year."

Dubai Sheema Classic (Meydan, April 5)
Ladbrokes: 5-2 Calandagan, Rebel's Romance, 5 Shin Emperor,  8 Danon Decile, 10 Giavellotto, Durezza, 12 Cervinia, 16 bar.

Read these next:

Trainers hit out at BHA as William Haggas steals the show in heated meeting with racing's leaders 

Winning spell for Golden Horn shows no sign of slowing as Overbury Stud resident is inundated 

Irish 2,000 Guineas meeting at the Curragh added to World Pool roster for 2025 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.