Calandagan restored some sanity to a Qipco British Champions Day of upsets to claim the £1.4 million Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The four-year-old, who won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same track in July, is one of Europe’s top horses but ineligible to run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe because he is a gelding. His owner, the Aga Khan Studs, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and jockey Mickael Barzalona won the race anyway with Daryz.

Calandagan, the 15-8 second favourite who was second 12 months earlier, was taking on a field that included favourite Ombudsman, the highest officially rated horse in the world, and Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes winner Delacroix.

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Settled in second last in the early stages, Calandagan was ridden forward wide of the field and once he hit the front, he wasn’t for catching as Ombudsman kept on for third with Almaqam third.

Barzalona said: "We went a nice gallop early on. We were pretty far back when he found his action he was ready to go. I could feel Ombudsman coming to him but mine was much better.

"I think he's a very good horse. Francis has done a magnificent job. I didn't really understand the power of these colours before but I'm very proud to be part of the team."

Graffard has emerged as a major training force in 2025. Calandagan was winning the stable's 12th Group 1 of the year.

The trainer revealed he had worked Calandagan with Daryz before the Arc. "He needed to work," he said. "It was quite far from the Champion Stakes but I had to put him in the gallop with Daryz before the Arc weekend because I needed him to be fitter. He was looking at Daryz like this 'Come with me, I'll show you how it's done'."