Takahisa Tezuka

Defending champion Calandagan (Gleneagles) and Japanese star Masquerade Ball (Duramente) are in line for a rematch in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, which will be run for a record £2 million this year. The pair met in the G1 Japan Cup last November, with Calandagan prevailing by a head at Tokyo on his way to being crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2025. The Francis Graffard-trained five-year-old has already raced twice in 2026, first winning the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, before floundering...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- For 20 years the Japan Cup has remained at home. Alkaased (Kingmambo) was the last foreign raider to wrest it from the locals, winning in 2005 for the Italian-born, British-based combo of Luca Cumani and Frankie Dettori. This time around, for the 45th running of the race, the international challenge has been whittled to just one - but he's a good one: Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles, who will jump from stall eight, is the third runner in the race for Francis Graffard, who sent out Erupt...

Race favourite Masquerade Ball, making his first appearance on a racecourse since chasing home Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) in June's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), made the breakthrough at the top level with a comfortable success in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo Racecourse. Trained by Takahisa Tezuka, Masquerade Ball was allowed to settle in mid-division for much of the 2,000-metre contest. The Duramente colt was caught behind horses as the field closed in on the leader approaching the final turn, having to wait for horses on his outside...