With the racing world gearing up for the overload of the Galway and Qatar Goodwood Festivals, last week saw Ascot step into the summertime spotlight. 2026 provided another vintage instalment of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as last year’s runner-up went one better in sizzling style. Elsewhere in the news, the Chelmsford City saga took a positive turn, while Rossa Ryan felt the wrath of the authorities following a ride at Sandown.
Queen Kalpana Claims King George Crown
| Pos | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kalpana | 13/2 | Andrew Balding | Colin Keane |
| 2nd | Calandagan | 6/5F | F-H Graffard | Mickael Barzalona |
| 3rd | Benvenuto Cellini | 4/1 | A P O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
Making its debut in 1951, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes quickly established itself as Britain’s most prestigious all-age 1m4f contest. Increasing the total prize money to a bumper £2 million in 2025 – set to rise again to £2.5 million in 2027 – has only helped ensure the quality of the summertime middle-distance highlight. Won by the highest-rated racehorse on the planet in 2025, the 2026 edition attracted a stellar cast as runners from Britain, Ireland, France, and Japan locked horns in Berkshire.
With the Japanese duo of Masquerade Ball and Wurttemberg struggling, the closing stages presented a thrilling Britain vs Ireland vs France battle. Irish Derby hero Benvenuto Cellini was the first to crack, setting up an identical scenario as in 2025.
Just as was the case 12 months ago, Calandagan found himself with a couple of lengths to make up on Kalpana inside the final furlong. However, whereas in 2025 the Francis-Henri Graffard star overhauled the Andrew Balding mare, this time Kalpana was not for passing. Sticking her neck out bravely and responding to Colin Keane’s every urging, the five-year-old toughed it out for a career-best 1½l success, with Calandagan going out on his shield in second.
Balding’s first win in the race came 55 years after his father Ian claimed the 1971 edition with the brilliant Mill Reef. For Kalpana, a second tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe may be on the agenda. She finished only seventh in the 2025 edition but looks a stronger mare this year.
Arc Steps in to Save Chelmsford City
Having not staged a meeting since March, the future of Chelmsford City Racecourse was looking increasingly bleak. However, last week saw a significant upturn in fortunes for the Essex track, with the announcement that Arena Racing Company (Arc) had reached an agreement to run the venue.
Commenting on the news, Arc chief executive Martin Cruddace stated, “Racing at Chelmsford City racecourse is hugely important to the fixture list, and we’re therefore delighted to work with the freeholders to reach agreement that will allow racing to return to the venue.”
News is awaited on exactly when racing will return to the all-weather course, with a statement from the track offering, “…we look forward to welcoming racegoers back at the earliest opportunity.”
The Arc development provides a positive twist in the tale of a track which became Britain’s first new racecourse since 1927 when opening in 2008. Initially called Great Leighs, the course lasted barely a year before losing its licence amidst £25 million of debt in 2009. Reopening as Chelmsford City in 2015, the latest blow came in March 2026 when parent company Great Leighs Limited went into administration in March with reported depts of £30 million.
An initial licence application from a newly formed company named Golden Mile Racing Limited was rejected by the BHA Board on 31 March. An appeal to the independent licensing committee in June also resulted in failure amidst concerns regarding the creditor position and suitability of the directors. With the threat of permanent closure looking like a very real possibility, Arc’s intervention will come as a relief to all associated with the course.
Rossa Eases His Way to 28-Day Ban
The Martin Densham & Peter Deal Memorial British EBF Maiden Stakes attracted more interest than your average midweek maiden contest. Pre-race, fans were on the lookout for a potential superstar in a race that had fallen to subsequent 2,000 Guineas winners Kameko and Ruling Court in recent years. However, at the end of the 7f event, it was a jockey, rather than a horse, who made the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Taking the ride aboard the James Horton-trained Thunder Home, Rossa Ryan appeared set to register a well-judged front-running success aboard the 14/1 chance. Kicking clear at the 3f pole, he had opened up a five-length advantage inside the final furlong. Well clear, with no obvious dangers, Ryan appeared to briefly stop riding as the winning line approached. However, he hadn’t accounted for the late charge of Zero Error. Last of the nine runners with a furlong to go, the mount of Jamie Spence flew home down the outside. Ryan reacted when the danger became apparent, but Zero Error had momentum on his side to get up and score by a nose.
BREAKING: Rossa Ryan has been handed a 28-day suspension for “failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse that would have finished first” aboard Thunder Home at Sandown this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/OJyP7sfvVk
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 23, 2026
Given the narrow nature of the loss, it seemed reasonable that Ryan’s apparent lapse in concentration was the difference between victory and defeat. The officials agreed with this assessment, with a stewards report reading, “After being interviewed and shown recordings of the incident, Ryan was suspended for 28 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse that would have finished first.”
Set to begin on 6 August and run to 2 September, the ban would see Ryan miss the York Ebor Festival. Already out of Glorious Goodwood as a result of a separate 6-day ban, the 26-year-old is up against it in his bid to catch Billy Loughnane and Oisin Murphy in the champion jockey race.
With so much at stake, Ryan has understandably lodged an official appeal against the decision, as confirmed in a statement from the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA): “The PJA can confirm that it has lodged an appeal on behalf of Rossa Ryan against the finding of the stewards at Sandown to suspend him for 28 days. Neither the PJA nor Rossa Ryan can comment further pending that appeal.”
