Colin Keane all set for star-studded rides on another big weekend
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 1 Oct 2026
With five Group One victories under his belt already this season, it might seem a tad greedy for Colin Keane to want more – but with the quality book of rides he has this weekend, he will be disappointed if he fails to add to his tally.
On Saturday Keane will miss the ride on short-priced favourite Sunly at ParisLongchamp to ride at Newmarket, where it should come as no surprise he is staying loyal to Blue Bolt.
Andrew Balding’s filly is a perfect five out of five this year – giving Keane three of those top-level wins – and is a long odds-on favourite for the BetMGM Sun Chariot Stakes.
Then it is over to France on Sunday where he partners his King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Kalpana in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“It’s a big weekend, I’m just very lucky that these horses have all come along at the one time,” said Keane.
“It’s unbelievable really, I ride Blue Bolt in the Sun Chariot on Saturday and then go on to France to ride Kalpana in an Arc, among others. Hopefully one of them can do the business.
“Blue Bolt has just been brilliant this year and you’d have to say that her last run in the Matron was probably a career-best.
“Kalpana is just so professional, you can put her anywhere in a race. She’s happy ridden handy or dropped in and she just does the rest really.”
One mild surprise at Thursday’s declaration stage was Francis-Henri Graffard and the Juddmonte team switching promising filly Amusingly from the Prix Marcel Boussac against the fillies to take on some exciting colts in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
Her dam is Joyeuse, a half-sister to Frankel, and Keane rode her when she was narrowly defeated by Ed Bethell’s Rogue Passion last time out.
“She felt like a smart filly, but she just did things a bit back to front as she was keen early and then got interfered with,” said Keane.
“She’s a smart filly and the guys thought it was worth looking at the colts’ race with her.”
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