Kalpana in a league of her own in QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

Andrew Balding and Juddmonte were celebrating at Ascot after the progressive Kalpana capped her improvement with a ruthless display in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

Long-time leader Wingspan set a brisk pace from the front and briefly, Betfred St Leger winning jockey Sean Levey looked to hold all of the aces as the pair slipped the field at the entry into Ascot’s famous home straight.

Untested on soft ground prior to contesting the first Group 1 of her career, Kalapan travelled easily in the hands of former Champion Jockey William Buick and readily began to eat into the deficit as the fourteen strong field began to thin out.

Having joined Wingspan, Kalpana found yet another gear, responding with aplomb to Buick’s urgings.

Inside the final furlong, the pair were away and gone, careering away to claim a first QIPCO British Champions Series success by two lengths.

On plundering the £500,000 prize, Buick expressed his gratitude to connections for turning to him whilst regular rider Oisin Murphy was unavailable, adding that “It was a great performance and a lovely ride to pick up. The only question mark was the ground but she handled it well. I was quite impressed with her and she’s only going to improve”.