Kalpana secured a landmark victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 25, becoming the first mare since Enable to win the prestigious Group 1 race. The five-year-old, trained by Andrew Balding, triumphed in the £2 million (S$3.44 million) contest over 2,414 meters, cementing her place among an elite group of fillies and mares who have won this mid-summer championship at Royal Ascot.

Kalpana’s victory ended a two-year winning streak by French-trained horses, with Calandagan — the defending champion and the runner-up in 2025 — finishing second once again. The race featured a strong pace set by three Ballydoyle entries: Action, Lambourn, and Minnie Hauk. Ridden by Colin Keane, Kalpana was positioned fourth early on, maintaining a steady rhythm before making a decisive move 400 meters from the finish. She held off Calandagan’s late surge to win by 1½ lengths, with Benvenuto Ceilli, trained by Aidan O’Brien, completing the podium.

This win marked Balding’s first success in the King George, following in the footsteps of his father, Ian Balding, whose 1971 winner Mill Reef remains one of the race’s defining champions. For owners Juddmonte, Kalpana’s victory was their fifth in the event, adding to earlier successes by horses including Dancing Brave and Enable. Keane also celebrated his inaugural win in the race, commenting on Kalpana’s toughness and improved condition compared to the previous year.

Kalpana’s triumph was her third Group 1 victory, following consecutive wins in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in 2024 and 2025. Balding also recorded another breakthrough on the same card with Moonrise, a two-year-old filly who captured the Group 3 Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes over 1,200 meters.

Moonrise’s narrow victory earned her first Group success and an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in the United States on October 30. Despite the potential to compete internationally later this year, Balding emphasized a cautious approach to the filly’s development, noting that the Lowther Stakes at York on August 20 is likely the next step before considering travel abroad.

Moonrise, ridden by Oisin Murphy, settled behind a solid pace before launching a strong challenge inside the final furlong to withstand a late bid from Dee’s Funny Girl. The victory also secures Moonrise’s participation in the Breeders’ Cup, a significant milestone for the young filly early in her racing career. Balding praised her professionalism and the quality of her performance, noting progress consistent with the filly’s relative inexperience.

Together, Kalpana and Moonrise’s accomplishments highlight a successful Ascot meeting for Balding, underscoring his ability to develop top-class talent across different age groups and distances.