WHILE researching the families of horses for inclusion in this column, I sometimes look back at what I have perhaps written previously, what connections have volunteered about the horse in question, and, if they have been sold at public auction, what was said at the time which might give a clue as to the hopes the purchaser had for them.

Last October, the Juddmonte-homebred Kalpana (Study Of Man) won her second Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot, having earlier chased Calandagan home in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. As a consequence, she added the accolade of champion older mare in Europe to that of the best three-year-old filly in England, enough to justify whisking her away to stud. However, my column the next week began as follows.