Kalpana back in form to regain title

KALPANA successfully defended her Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes title with a neat victory at Ascot for Andrew Balding.

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A two-length winner last year, she was the 11-8 favourite to retain the trophy under Colin Keane in a field of 10 despite finishing only seventh in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last time out.

She raced prominently and was always handily placed on an inside line, eventually pushing clear on the turn for home and prevailing comfortably by two and a half lengths from Estrange, with Quisisana a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

“Things haven’t quite gone how we wanted to this season, but that was a pretty good performance,’ said Balding.

“I think there was a bit of pressure on today and it was a bit of a risk running her back quickly after the Arc, but maybe we've underdone her all year and she just seems to thrive on it.