Leading Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hope Kalpana suffered something of a surprise defeat when turned away by Marco Botti's Giovaletto in Saturday's September Stakes at Kempton.

Connections of the ante-post Arc favourite had opted to stay at home with the hope of seeing Kalpana get her head in front for the first time this season. However, Andrew Balding's filly once again had to settle for minor honours the Marco Botti-trained Giovaletto, who was always towards the fore under Oisin Murphy, battled on bravely inside the final furlong to score by a length and a half.

"Credit to Oisin, he went from plan A to B as we thought we were going to sit behind Kalpana," Botti said on Racing TV.

"I thought that was what was going to happen, they had a pacemaker, and we were going to follow her through and see if we were good enough to challenge her in the last furlong.

"Oisin had to go to plan B, he sat second, and the pace wasn't very strong. He picked up well in the straight and every time Kalpana got to his girths, he just found a little bit more.

"I think it's a good performance and I'm really pleased to see him back at this level.

"He is a fighter. He's a horse that's probably never really got the credit for what he's done."

Giavellotto does hold an entry in the Arc but looks unlikely to take his chance according to Botti, who is keen to keep his talented six-year-old away from any ease in the ground.

He added: "We just have to consider now where we go next, we've always said Hong Kong is the main target because the ground is going to be against us for the next couple of months.

"I wouldn't be worried if I had to just keep him well and fresh for Hong Kong.

"He is entered in the Arc, but I must admit I have never thought the race would suit him because most of the time it is run on easy ground.

"I think that will be the case and therefore it is too risky, we know he doesn't want anything softer than good.

"Champions Day is definitely a no; I wouldn't compromise our chances on Hong Kong for a race on soft ground."

Paris' showpiece is also now far from certain for the beaten Kalpana, with trainer Andrew Balding keen to assess his options with the daughter of Study Of Man, who also

has the possibility of defending her crown in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

He said: "It is disappointing not to win, but I think the horse that beat us is very good. As you can, hear she is having a proper blow and hopefully that will put her spot on for whatever we are doing.

"She had a couple of weeks easy, and she will come on for that. I felt like we had done enough work, but the trouble is we are not using grass gallops at the moment. The all-weather is much easier and it is harder to get work into horses like her.

"We didn't want it to be a falsely run race, and it wasn't. They went a nice even pace, and she had every chance, but a good horse has beaten her, and she will come on for the run.

"She is in the Arc and the Filles and Mares at Ascot, but it is really where the powers that be want to go.

"This was a prep, and that (Arc) was always the plan, but we will have to see how the field develops."