- walked 1 lap and jogged 2 laps left-handed, jogged 2 laps right-handed on the dirt exercise track around the international stables
- cantered 1/2 lap, cantered ~ galloped 3/4 lap left-handed on turf course
with accompanied horse (Le Nomade)
(exercised from 7:18 to 7:50, ridden by Jeremy Lobel)

Owner Representative (OR): Nemone Routh
Trainer (T): Francis-Henri Graffard

Q: What is your impression of the Japan Cup?
O: This is my first time for the Japan Cup to visit. It seems like a very big race. A huge build-up. And we're very excited to be here. The only race I can really compare it to that I've attended before is maybe the Melbourne Cup. But we're very proud to be here. We're happy to be here to perform to the best of their ability.

Q: What is the reason to bring your horse to the Japan Cup?
O: It's a race we've been thinking about for a long time for the horse. Especially after he won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he was awarded bonus participation and we think the conditions of the race should suit him. He loves a mile and a half, he likes good fast ground, he goes well left-handed. So, it's a race—we wanted to run at least one race internationally with him this year, at the end of the year—and this is the one we wanted to do with Calandagan, since many months.

Q: What type of race do you expect Calandagan to run?
O: Well, he tends to run a similar type of race, he's normally not particularly close to the pace early on, and then he comes with a late run and he has very good acceleration. But obviously it will depend on the pace of the race, where he's drawn, but he normally runs the same type of race and we think he'll run well.

Q: He's had three consecutive wins in his last three starts, namely Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Champion Stakes. So, looking back on the races that he has run this year to the present, how do you feel now?
T: So, he has had a very good campaign this year. The horse started in Dubai and he ran a very good race and no excuses in Epsom when he ran, but since Saint-Cloud, the horse has been very very strong and I think since the race at Saint-Cloud his confidence and his physical ability are getting stronger and the horse has proven that with his three consecutive wins.

Q: After the last run in the Champion Stakes, what is the reason that you decided to participate in this race?
T: To participate in the Japan Cup was a decision made earlier. We targeted this race after the　King George, we said that was where we wanted to go. And I was looking for a race to get him ready for the Japan Cup, so, the only suitable race for that was at Ascot in the Champion Stakes—it sounds a little bit silly because it was a very strong race but the horse proved he was a very good horse and the champion that day—so the decision was made a long time ago. We definitely wanted to come here. The left-handed lead is perfect for him. And obviously, by winning the Champion Stakes he proved that we have the best horse in Europe anyway. So, we are really looking forward to the race on Sunday.

Q: Please brief us about his condition since his arrival in Japan including his workout today.
T: We were really happy with the way the horse traveled from France. He took the journey very well—he carried his weight through the journey so we were very happy with that—and since he's here in Japan, the staff is very happy with his condition in general and his behavior. He ate everything, so we can say he took his journey very very well. Today, as you saw, we went on the grass, I think he needed just to stretch his leg a little bit and we were happy.

Q: What is the strong point? And also, please give us a little about your impression of the Japanese horses as well as the confidence that you have for the Japan Cup.
T: If you look at Calandagan’s race record, he never had a bad race, he's been very very competitive—compared to Goliath last year, Goliath was a much much more difficult horse during the races and everything—Calandagan is very laid back and he's very relaxed, very talented, so we don't need like a special tactic or things to go his way particularly and the positive things for Calandagan is; his mind and heart, he's perfect; good ground, he likes it; he runs well left-handed; his jockey knows him very well too, and now I think the horse arrived with a lot of confidence, at the top of his game, which he will need for Sunday’s race.