Kalpana takes September Stakes step to ultimate Arc aim

Connections of Kalpana admit their Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favourite faces a far from straightforward task in her bid for back-to-back victories Saturday’s Unibet September Stakes at Kempton.

Andrew Balding’s filly landed this Group Three prize en-route to success on Qipco Champions Day last season and while she has failed to get her head in front since, she has performed admirably to secure podium finishes in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Pretty Polly Stakes and the King George this term.

With the four-year-old being targeted at Europe’s premier middle-distance contest at ParisLongchamp in just over four weeks’ time, owners Juddmonte have warned she is not at concert pitch for Saturday’s assignment in Sunbury and in Hong Kong Vase winner Giavellotto she faces a serious rival.

“Hopefully she’s in good form and Andrew is happy with her, but it is a prep for the Arc and I think Andrew stated the other day that while she’s fit and well, she’s not been trained for this race,” said Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon.

“It’s a stepping-stone towards the Arc and she had a hard race in the King George. She’s in good form and we’re hopeful that she’ll run a good race, but we have an eye on October and that’s the big day.

“In some years you can turn up for this race and it could be a 115-rated horse against plenty of 90-rated horses, but this year it’s definitely not that. Giavellotto is a top-class horse, he’s showed that season in, season out for the last few and he’ll be a tough nut (to crack).

“As long as our filly can run a good race and she shows she’s in good form, we’ll be happy and we’ll kick on to Longchamp.”

Balding is keeping his fingers crossed Kalpana can secure a confidence-boosting victory.

“They have been three really good runs this year, but she is yet to win a race and it would be nice to get the ball rolling and get back on track with a win to tee us nicely up for Paris in October,” said the Kingsclere handler.

“The Arc is one of the most important races in the calendar. Juddmonte were lucky enough to win it last year (with Bluestocking), and they have won it twice with Enable, along with plenty of other good horses, so they are no stranger to success in it, but I’ve never had a runner in the race.

“It is a privilege to train for them, and you have always got a chance of getting a good one as they breed such good horses.

“However, we still have plenty of water to go under the bridge between now and then, but the first step is Kempton Park at the weekend.”

Giavellotto has not been seen in competitive action since finishing third behind Jan Brueghel and Calandagan in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in early June.

His trainer Marco Botti said: “He’s been in good order and when we looked at the time of year and the ground is probably going to be on the easy side, which is not what he wants, we thought we’d take our chance in the September Stakes.

“He actually ran once at Kempton and won as a two-year-old and he’s also won at Newcastle, so he’s two from two on the all-weather.

“We obviously missed the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (at Newmarket in July) because he had a bad scope, so we just gave him a little bit more time as our main target is still Hong Kong and it’s a long season.

“I would say he should be pretty for fit for the race on Saturday and he’s shown his best form when he runs fresh anyway, so that’s definitely not a concern.”

On the prospect of facing Kalpana, the Newmarket-based Italian added: “She’s a very good filly and in the past this has been a good prep race for the Arc, so I can see why they’re taking that route.

“But we’re looking forward to seeing our horse back in action and we can make a plan then where we run next. He might or might not run again before Hong Kong. We have entered him in the Arc, but I never really felt he would get his ground in France at that time of the year.

“We’ll take it a step at a time, but it wouldn’t be worry me if after this race we keep him fresh and well for Hong Kong. All those things will be considered after the race.”

The Unibet Sirenia Stakes is the other Group Three on the card with a 10-strong field headed by the Charlie Appleby-trained Beckford’s Folly, who has won two of his three starts so far.