Kalpana earmarked to ‘go the Bluestocking route’ Qipco Champions Day heroine Kalpana could bid to emulate Juddmonte’s superstar mare Bluestocking this season, with the Middleton Stakes at York pencilled in as a potential comeback target. The Ralph Beckett-trained Bluestocking enjoyed a fantastic 2024 campaign for the Juddmonte operation, with a successful reappearance in the Middleton followed by Group One triumphs in the Pretty Polly Stakes, the Prix Vermeille and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. With Bluestocking now retired for broodmare duties, Andrew Balding’s Kalpana appears an ideal candidate to fill the void having rounded off her three-year-old campaign with a top-level victory in the British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes at Ascot in October. Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon said: “Kalpana will be back, she’s in good shape and we might try to go the Bluestocking route with her and start off in the Middleton and head on to the Pretty Polly, all being well.” Another older horse set to carry the Juddmonte silks at Pattern level this season is Okeechobee, who has not been seen in competitive action since edging out royal runner Desert Hero in the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown 11 months ago. Mahon added: “Okeechobee is back on the go, he’s in good shape and getting near to starting off. I think Harry (Charlton, trainer) was thinking of a race in Kempton next month, so hopefully he’ll be ready for that. “If we got lucky, we might get to take in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, which we were on course for last year when he had a setback. “We’ve plenty to look forward to hopefully, fingers crossed they all stay happy and healthy.”
