Despite winning the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last month, after four previous Group 1 second places in the UK and Dubai Calandagan still had something to prove back at Ascot racecourse.

However, the four-year-old gelding firmly silenced his doubters with a thrilling display in the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, heading Arc favourite Kalpana by a length with globetrotter Rebel’s Romance and two St Leger winners, Jan Brueghel and Continuous, further behind.

In doing so he also followed in the footsteps of Aga Khan greats Tulyar (1952), Shergar (1981), Alamshar (2003) and Azamour (2005). He also became the 10th Group 1 winner at Ascot and 25th Group 1 winner in the UK for the Aga Khan family since 1960.

“The tactics during the race were not what I was expecting, when I saw Continuous going very steadily it was all different,” said trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. “When the filly kicked on for home my horse was still travelling well and I was hoping he was going to catch her at the end. He lengthened so strongly, he's a very good horse.”

Calandagan could next head back to York for another try at the Gr.1 International Stakes, in which he finished second last year to City Of Troy, the pair of them breaking the track record previously held by Sea The Stars. Graffard also mooted the Japan Cup as an option towards the end of this year.