British trainer Andrew Balding labeled his King George VI & Queen Elizabeth stakes race victory with Kalpana at Royal Ascot as “number one” of the 2,000 career winners he has registered.
After finishing second 12 months prior, Kalpana held off a surge by last year’s winner Calandagan to win by one and a half lengths on Saturday.
The Kingsclere trainer was in no doubt where the win ranked in his illustrious 25 years of training.
“This is probably number one and It is an emotional win for lots of reasons,” Balding told BBC Radio Berkshire.
“She (Kalpana) is a high class filly and deserved her moment to win a race like this, it’s a big deal as she’s been with us a long time and everyone is so fond of her.
“We actually thought the field this year was stronger than last year, so I’d have probably settled for third.”
The filly beat off the best from around the world over a mile and a half with the win coming six months after the death of Balding’s father, legendary trainer Ian Balding.
He won the prestigious race in 1971 with Mill Reef and the Park House Stables in Kingsclere, Hampshire have now produced a second King George winner.
Turning the tables on french trained Calandagan was especially sweet for the 53-year-old trainer.
The win, combined with Item’s win at York in a Group two race, catapults Balding up the trainer’s title race, within striking distance of leader Aiden O’Brien.
Balding won £1.3 million in just under two hours, as the King George is the UK’s most valuable race of the year.
Kalpana is expected to feature in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.
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