THE re-match between Jan Brueghel and Calandagan today in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the latest match in a race that has previous in that regard.

There was the Galileo/Fantastic Light match of 2001, that was re-staged at Leopardstown a month and a half later.

There was the Dancing Brave/Shahrastani re-match of 1986, that wasn’t really a match at all in the end.

There was the Nashwan/Cacoethes re-match of 1989, and the Dylan Thomas/Youmzain match of 2007, although we didn’t really know it at the time, that would be repeated in the Arc.

And, of course, there was the grandfather of them all, the Grundy/Bustino match of 1975, the Ali/Frazier of European horse racing, exactly 50 years ago this year. Actually, exactly 50 years ago this day, July 26th.

When Jan Brueghel and Calandagan met in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Derby weekend, it was the former who ultimately came out on top.

It was a really likeable performance by Aidan O’Brien’s horse, who kicked for home early under Ryan Moore and dug deep. It didn’t look likely when Francis Graffard’s horse moved up on his outside and joined him inside the final furlong, which is probably around about the point at which he traded at 1/4 in-running. But Jan Brueghel repelled his challenge, ran on strongly and won by a half a length.

Since then, Calandagan has won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. He was sent off an odds-on shot to do so, but it was an important win, the Gleneagles gelding’s first Group 1 win, his first win since he ran out an impressive winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, and that win sets up today’s race nicely.

Similar scenario

You can see a scenario developing that will be similar to the one that developed at Epsom: Ryan Moore kicking for home early on Jan Brueghel, last year’s St Leger winner, use his stamina, and Ascot’s stiff finish should be an asset in that regard. You can see Jan Brueghel emerging on top again, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kalpana getting closer to the pair of them than the market suggests she will.

Andrew Balding’s filly may prefer the ground to be a little easier than it is going to be, but she should appreciate the return to Ascot and the step back up to a mile and a half.

Valiant Stakes

Earlier in the day, Royal Dress could be the answer to the Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes.

A surprise winner of the Group 3 Meadow Court Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Oaks weekend last year under Ben Coen, James Tate’s mare finished only fourth in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on Derby weekend this year, a race in which she was an unlucky third last year.

She didn’t have a lot of luck in the race this year either, she was back in the field early in the home straight and she was looking for racing room as Spiritual was kicking for home from the front.

She can be marked up at least a little on the bare form of her run there, and the form of the race was enhanced when the runner-up Bright Thunder won a listed race at Deauville next time.

Royal Dress enhanced the form of that race herself last time too when she ran out an impressive winner of a listed race at Pontefract.

She was back in the field early on in that race, but she made progress easily down the outside in the home straight and she ran out a seriously impressive winner. The Race IQ sectionals tell you too that she wasn’t the beneficiary of a pace collapse either. Quite the contrary actually, she did well to win, coming from the rear.

Her finishing speed was over 105% over her overall speed and she was 0.7secs faster than her fastest rival through the final two furlongs.

James Tate and owner Saeed Manana also had Cloud Cover in this race at the five-day stage, so it is interesting that they are relying on Royal Dress.

The Night Of Thunder mare goes into the race on an upward trajectory, and a stiff mile suits her well. The last two renewals of this race have gone to fillies who have made all the running, but both winning riders were able to lead at moderate early fractions.

Today’s field is bigger than has been the case in the last two years, and there are a few fillies in there who travel strongly and who have gone forward in the past, so hopefully there will be a good pace on, and that should suit Royal Dress.

Jancis is a fascinating entry, with David Egan riding for Willie McCreery, and Chantilly Lace – Ralph Beckett’s only representative from four entries – ran a big race over today’s course and distance in the Coronation Stakes on just her third run. She is a big player, but she is short enough and, at a bigger price, Royal Dress could be the value.

International Handicap

Kodi Lion could be the value in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap 40 minutes later.

Aalto is the obvious favourite for this, after his big run in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket last time, denied back-to-back wins in the race by an unfavourable bob of the head.

He has been raised by 4lb by the handicapper for that run but, because this is an early closing race, he gets to race off his old mark of 91, which is actually 1lb lower than the mark off which he raced in the Bunbury Cup, and 5lb lower than his new rating.

But he goes well on the Newmarket courses, his record at them both reads 2192 and his record on the July Course specifically reads 192.

By contrast, his record at Ascot, a different track to Newmarket from many perspectives, reads 90.

He was only ninth in this race last year, racing off a mark of 90, 1lb lower than today’s mark, and that was after winning the Bunbury Cup.

Akkadian Thunder is a player, he goes well at Ascot, as is Northern Express, who also goes well at Ascot, who won this race last year off a handicap rating that was 2lb higher than the mark off which he will race today.

But Kodi Lion is another with good course form, and he is less exposed than some of his rivals. He retains plenty of potential for further progression.

An impressive winner of a seven-furlong handicap in July last year on his first run at Ascot, he finished second behind Get It in a six-furlong handicap in May this year on his second, and Get It obviously enhanced the form of that run when he won the Wokingham last time off a 10lb higher mark.

Kodi Lion improved on that himself next time when he went to Haydock and won a six-furlong handicap.

He may have been racing on the correct part of the track that day, he was one of just four horses who raced on the near side early on, and three of the four filled the first three places. But he won well, he went to the line strongly.

He was beaten last time at Salisbury, but that was in a six-furlong handicap on fast ground off a moderate pace. He has good form over six furlongs, but he stays seven well, and a stiff seven off a good pace at Ascot could be close to optimal.

Ideally, he would be drawn a little higher, a lot of the pace is drawn high, but that potential negative is more than accommodated by his odds.

Recommended

Royal Dress, 2.20 Ascot, 9/2 (generally), 1pt win

Kodi Lion, 3.00 Ascot, 16/1 (generally), 1pt each-way