Ombudsman went to last Saturday’s Champion Stakes as the world’s best flat racehorse. His rating of 128 was 3 pounds higher than the 125 given to Calandagan. Interestingly, Timeform’s pre-race ratings were 130 and 129 for Ombudsman and Calandagan respectively. The race itself was not only good to watch but quite revealing. Both horses quickened smoothly and impressively to move to the front but, try as he could, Ombudsman could not overhaul Calandagan over the former’s best distance of ten furlongs. Personally, I felt that speed on the good ground rather than stamina won the race for Calandagan, although Ombudsman was patently at the end of his tether coming up to the line. I do not know what the revised ratings will show, but Calandagan must now assume the mantle of the world’s top racehorse. Surprisingly, the Arc winner, Daryz, was rated at 127 after his Longchamps victory. When queried about Daryz’s pre- Arc gallop with Calandagan, their trainer, Francois Graffard, smiled and intimated that Calandagan had simply ‘ laughed at’ Daryz.’ There’s no doubt that he has matured into a classy four year old with both stamina and an impressive turn of foot, and his performance on Saturday will re-ignite the argument about geldings being ineligible to run in certain Group races. This year’s Arc de Triomphe would surely have been at his mercy, had he been allowed to enter.
Calandagan's exploits this season also paying a compliment to City of Troy who, for me, is the only horse to beat Calandagan when he was 100% and no mitigating factors (e.g. ground, not fully wound up). The lads will be waiting expectantly for City of Troy's progeny.
