The vibes coming from those closest to Calandagan suggest last year's conqueror of Ombudsman is back to his brilliant best.
Freshened up since a 1 1/2-length defeat to Kalpana in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) in late July at Ascot Racecourse, the six-time group 1 winner is back for his third crack at the Champion Stakes (G1) Oct. 17 at Ascot.
Nemone Routh, racing manager in France for the Aga Khan Studs, owners of Calandagan, said: "He has really benefited from a break after the King George as we thought he was a bit tired that day.
"Take nothing away from Kalpana, but we felt he came there to win his race and then did not quite finish it out."
Routh was among many thousands blown away by Calandagan on this card 12 months ago. "I thought it was a massive performance on Champions day last year," she said.
"We had a few question marks because we were viewing it as a prep for the Japan Cup and weren't sure whether the drop back to 10 furlongs would be suitable. He was very impressive.
"In terms of ratings, last year's Champion Stakes is his best performance. That gave us huge satisfaction and after that we took him very seriously. We went into the Japan Cup thinking we had a proper group 1 horse."
Calandagan's trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said: "He is in very good spirits and is ready to start his autumn campaign."
William Buick is optimistic Ombudsman can end his illustrious career on a high, as he bids to bounce back from a below-par performance in the International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse.
Sent off 5-6 favorite on the back of a stunning 4-length dismissal of Minnie Hauk in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Ascot, Ombudsman was all at sea on ground which connections believe was markedly slower than the official description of good.
Buick said: "The ground at York was very slow and it blunted Ombudsman's speed, while last year's Champion Stakes turned into a race of stamina with the pace they went.
"It's another year on for both him and Calandagan, and we will see how we go, but I'm very much looking forward to it."
Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Ombudsman, is hoping the ground at Ascot will be more to the 5-year-old's liking.
He said: "He's had a smooth preparation and is in great order. It's a small and elite field as ever and we're hoping he can go out on a high. They had some rain there on Friday morning, but the week leading into the race has been dry, so hopefully the ground will suit."
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) runner-up Bay City Roller makes a quick reappearance after pleasing George Scott in recent days.
Scott said: "We were delighted with his trial for the Arc behind Daryz and, as it turned out, he finished second again behind him on the big day. He has been a model of consistency, and he seems very versatile tactically and with ground."
Bay City Roller will be making just his sixth appearance of the year, and Scott believes there is more to come.
"I still feel like he has got plenty of running left in him," he said. "It looks a red-hot race, especially if the rain stays away, but it's going to be fascinating."
Constitution River, twice beaten in the highest company at 1 1/4 miles since landing the Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown Park Racecourse in fantastic style, tackles the Champion Stakes in preference to dropping back to a mile in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1).
Aidan O'Brien said: "We always thought Constitution River had enough pace for a mile. Obviously, in his last two runs, he went from the furlong and a half to the half-furlong marker, then didn't really finish off.
"We felt at York there was a reason for that—the pace was very strong and he got hung up in it early and he was maybe in a gear too high the whole race. He went to Leopardstown and it was a little bit the same, the pace was very strong and he went early as the pace dropped away in front of him. Then he emptied out.
"We weren't sure at that time if he wasn't staying or what, it's very possible with the health of the horses at that time he was just getting tired and when there's something going on for a while (low-grade infection in the yard), you will tire quicker. So, there's a chance that was happening."
The Ballydoyle maestro resisted the temptation to drop him back to a mile at Ascot.
He said: "We were nearly going to do it but then the more we thought of it, was it fair to Gstaad to throw him into a mile and a quarter race of that caliber, and was it fair to Constitution River to go back to a mile? It might have been a knee-jerk reaction."
Almaqam, always the apple of Ed Walker's eye, lived up to his highest expectations when landing the Gold Cup (G1) in May at the Curragh.
Although beaten in three subsequent starts, the trainer has lost no confidence in his 5-year-old, who finished third in this race last year.
"Don't hold his performance in the Irish Champion Stakes against him," Walker said. "The drying ground and nature of the track weren't in his favor at Leopardstown.
"Things will be much more to his liking over the stiff 1 mile, 2 furlongs at Ascot, particularly if they get any rain—it's tailor-made for him—and everything has gone well with him at home since his trip to Ireland. He's very fresh and he's come out of it in great shape."
The Champion Stakes is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event that gives an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
