Tag Archive for: Ombudsman

Ombudsman has Ascot in his sights after bypassing Irish Champion date

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Godolphin are putting their faith in “master trainer” John Gosden to pull off an exciting autumn schedule with Ombudsman after the handler ruled this year’s star performer out of a third clash with Delacroix in the Irish Champion Stakes.

The son of Night Of Thunder, who Gosden trains in partnership with son Thady, reversed an agonising defeat in the Coral-Eclipse to level the score with Aidan O’Brien’s leading colt in tremendous fashion in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

That was the Clarehaven inmate’s second big victory of the season after success in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he will miss another rematch at Leopardstown after his training team elected to freshen up their star performer ahead of important dates later in the season.

“I spoke to John this (Wednesday) morning and he’s a master trainer and I think the plan he has set out is very much similar to what he had in mind after the win in the Juddmonte International,” Godolphin’s managing director Hugh Anderson told the PA news agency.

“There is no man better able at setting out a challenging campaign for a fabulous racehorse than John and we look forward to hopefully some good results in the autumn.

“He’s been a star this year and Ombudsman and (Kentucky Derby winner) Sovereignty are out of the real top-drawer. Godolphin have had some good horses down the years but to have these two in the same year is really excellent.”

With a trip to Ireland off the table and a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe already ruled out, a return to the scene of his summer high for Ascot’s Qipco Champion Stakes on October 18 now looks the obvious next port of call.

That could bring tantalising trips abroad for both the Breeders’ Cup and Japan Cup into play, with Anderson full of praise for the Gosdens’ excellent management of Ombudsman’s career to date which has yielded six victories from eight starts and those all important Group One triumphs at 10 furlongs.

Hugh Anderson (right) after Ombudsman's win at York
Hugh Anderson (right) after Ombudsman’s win at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’m not sure if we will be able to get all three of those races in, but those races are certainly what John has in mind,” continued Anderson.

“It’s a classic example of where a trainer will need to watch the weather, watch his horse and work out the best options.

“But what I will say about Ombudsman is the way he has been trained over his career is very much to John and Thady’s credit, with the watchword being patience and that has delivered fantastic results.

“He didn’t race at two and then was very lightly raced at three and he’s hit these huge highs at four. So whatever John thinks is best for him is going to prove to be good for Godolphin.”

Ombudsman takes International crown at York

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Ombudsman eventually came out on top in an exciting renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

The 7-4 favourite was ridden by William Buick for John and Thady Gosden, with the fellow Godolphin-owned runner Birr Castle sent out to make the running as a rank outsider in the field of six.

The latter horse was afforded an enormous lead and as he rounded the turn for home it looked quite possible that the chasing pack would not catch him, but as he tired, Ombudsman was gaining ground.

He eventually swept through to grab the lead and while Delacroix also made late gains, Ombudsman emerged a three-and-a-half-length winner.

William Buick will the trophy for the Juddmonte International
William Buick will the trophy for the Juddmonte International (Mike Egerton/PA)

Birr Castle was transferred to the Gosdens to make the running at York and John Gosden said: “(Trainer) Andre Fabre said the horse was in top form and ‘I hope he does a good job for you John, I would like you to have the same result as in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (when the pacemaker won)’!

“I said ‘OK Andre, I will do my best to make sure he goes a nice, even pace’.

“I thought with two furlongs to run Andre had won the race! You don’t often see that, he’s run a huge race to be third.

“I did say to William that if he’d sat four lengths off the pacemaker he’d have won by 10 lengths but there we go.

“What happened was the Japanese jockey was with Rab (Havlin on Birr Castle) but then he kept taking back and let Rab slip the field. Past the two marker, he was still six lengths in front.

“William said when he let him (Ombudsman) go, he absolutely flew and went from second gear to fifth gear in the blink of an eye.”

Ombudsman (right) was a clear-cut winner over Delacroix (middle)
Ombudsman (right) was a clear-cut winner over Delacroix (middle) (Mike Egerton/PA)

Ombudsman had finished a neck behind Delacroix in the Eclipse last time out, but Gosden felt that race was perhaps not run to suit.

He said: “The Eclipse was a muddling race and we’ll leave it at that. Full marks to Delacroix, but in an evenly-run race we were the superior horse today.

“This is a great win but I did think for a moment Andre would be the lucky man.”

The two obvious races for him are the Irish Champion and Ascot for Champions Day

Ombudsman was claiming the second Group One victory of his eight-race career to date, with Gosden’s sights already set on more top-level success.

He added: “He had a little problem as a baby and we never raced him at two and he came along gradually. He’s getting better and better, has trained well and was unbeaten last year. His only defeat this year was in the muddling Eclipse and he’s a proper horse.

“The two obvious races for him are the Irish Champion and Ascot for Champions Day. It will be Sheikh Mohammed’s decision if he stays in training but he is a sportsman.

“William thinks he’ll stay a mile and a half but I think why change things? Were he to go for the Arc, we’d need one of the rare occasions with a fast-ground Arc – which do happen occasionally.”

Eclipse one-two all set for International rematch at York

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Delacroix gets the chance to confirm Coral-Eclipse form with Ombudsman in what looks a fascinating renewal of the Juddmonte International at York.

The richest race of the four-day Ebor Festival has a hard act to follow, as 12 months ago when City Of Troy beat Calandagan it was again rated as the best race anywhere in the world.

Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix may have failed to fire as a 2-1 favourite for the Derby in early June, trailing home ninth behind stablemate Lambourn, but he proved that form all wrong when coming from an uncompromising position to beat his elders in an pulsating Eclipse at Sandown in early July.

Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Ombudsman was the horse he nabbed in the shadow of the post that day and while John and Thady Gosden’s runner is the marginal favourite to gain his revenge, O’Brien is happy with his charge ahead of the rematch.

“He seems in good form since Sandown, so I’m looking forward to it,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“What he did at Sandown after the passage he had there was unusual (the way he quickened up), so we hope he runs well again.”

City Of Troy went to the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year and whoever wins the International will again be guaranteed a starting berth, should they wish to tackle the Del Mar dirt on November 1.

To ensure a true-run race at York after the sedate pace of the Eclipse, Godolphin supplemented the Andre Fabre-trained Birr Castle to help Ombudsman.

John Gosden said: “The Eclipse was a muddling race and we didn’t want the prospect of a repeat, so Godolphin have kindly provided us with a nice horse to use as a pacemaker and he arrived on Thursday.”

Danon Decile in action in Newmarket
Danon Decile in action in Newmarket (York Racecourse)

Adding the international flavour is the Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile, who has been in Newmarket for a couple of weeks.

He has not run since beating Calandagan in the Dubai Sheema Classic in early April, but that form looks strong given the runner-up has since won twice at Group One level.

Calandagan’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard decided against sending his King George hero to York this time around, but does saddle a fascinating contender for the Aga Khan Studs in the unbeaten Daryz.

“Maybe this will all be too soon for him in his career, but I know Francis just felt the horse is in great form, he’s worked him for this race and when the horse is well he doesn’t like not running them because you never know what might happen,” said the the owners’ French stud manager Nemone Routh.

“We’ll take our chance and see where he ends up in the grand scheme. It helps that there’s a pacemaker as he’s a big horse with a big, long stride.”

She went on: “On paper you’d imagine he’ll stay a  mile and a half when you stand in beside him but for the moment he’s been running well over a mile and a quarter. A strongly-run 10 furlongs should suit him.

“There’s no excuses, it’s a level playing field with a long straight at York, it should be a guide as to where we fall among his generation.”

Both of the parents of Andrew Balding’s See The Fire won this race, for those who like their pedigrees.

The daughter of Sea The Stars and Arabian Queen produced her career-best over this course and distance when winning the Middleton Stakes earlier in the season and has since finished third in both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Nassau.

“The Juddmonte is always, in my opinion, the strongest race of the year,” said Balding.

See The Fire was "electric" at York earlier in the season
See The Fire was “electric” at York earlier in the season (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It’s where the three-year-olds will always turn up against the older horses and you get that wonderful mix of perhaps horses stepping up from a mile to a mile and a quarter and horses dropping back from a mile and a half.

“I think this year it’s very strong, as you’d expect. There are a couple of exciting unknowns in there, the Japanese horse and the French horse. But the thing about See The Fire is we know she loves York. She’s unbeaten at the track. She was very impressive winning the Strensall last year and she was absolutely electric winning the Middleton this spring.

“I think certain horses favour York and she’s certainly one of those – it’s got to be to her advantage. I’m not saying that means she’s going to win the race, but it should make her very competitive.

“She seems to have come out of Goodwood very well, but you never really know until you run again. I hope she’s going there in really good form.”

Delacroix and Ombudsman part of six-strong Juddmonte International field

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A fascinating six-runner field has been declared for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday, headlined by a rematch between Delacroix and Ombudsman.

The pair met in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, where Ryan Moore conjured a tremendous last-gasp effort from Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix to deny the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman.

Ombudsman had earlier been very impressive in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the four-year-old has yet to finish out of the first two in seven career starts.

Delacroix followed the traditional Ballydoyle Derby route to Epsom, winning the two Leopardstown trials, but never looked happy in the premier Classic. Back at 10 furlongs last time out, he showed this true colours.

The race truly lives up to its International name this year, with Danon Decile having travelled over from Japan for the contest. He was last seen beating subsequent King George winner Calandagan in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Daryz, from the same Francis-Henri Graffard stable as last year’s runner-up Calandagan, represents the Aga Khan Studs, aiming to be the first French-trained winner since Triptych in 1987.

Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, a 12-length winner of the Middleton Stakes over course and distance earlier in the season, is another with strong claims.

Birr Castle, supplemented last week, is set to play the role of pacemaker for Ombudsman.

Seven go to post in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, where dual Derby winner Lambourn is the standout.

O’Brien’s colt faces three stablemates in Mount Kilimanjaro, Stay True and Thrice, while Paddy Twomey’s Carmers, the unbeaten Queen’s Vase winner, could give him plenty to think about and Dante winner Pride Of Arras aims to bounce back after being gelded.

Coolmore and Godolphin face off in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, with Italy and Distant Storm respectively in a field of eight.

Gosden not disheartened after narrow defeat for Ombudsman

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John Gosden was proud of Ombudsman in defeat after the Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner was narrowly denied in a “messy” renewal of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

The four-year-old was a 6-4 favourite to double his Group One tally following his brilliant display at Royal Ascot last month, but after battling his way to the front inside the final furlong, he was unable to resist the late surge of Delacroix and an inspired Ryan Moore.

“I said beforehand it could be a messy race and I think I was correct,” said Gosden, who trains in partnership with his son Thady.

“We thought Delacroix would go forward and the French horse (Sosie) would sit handy and then of course it was all the other way round, but that happens in small fields.

“It didn’t turn out the way we thought, he was trapped rather wide and has got close to the pace and Delacroix has run us down late.

“It was one of those races you can get with a small field, but full marks to the winner. He has gone and outstayed the lot of them and in the end it was down to stamina.

“Our horse has still run a great race, 17 days (since Ascot) is not ideal, let’s be honest.”

Ombudsman was a neck behind Delacroix at the line, with another Godolphin runner – Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court – just under two lengths further away in third.

Ruling Court has had a busy time of things, having finished third in the St James’s Palace Stakes since his Classic triumph at Newmarket, and Appleby was pleased with his performance on what was his first attempt at a mile and a quarter.

“There’s a lot more positives to take out of it than the negative of being beaten,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“None of us expected the race to be run like that, full credit to the winner. But from our own point of view we take a lot of positives.

“He was relaxed in the preliminaries and our plan was not to be in that position, but with the pace there was on in the first couple of furlongs, Oisin (Murphy) had no choice – he had to stay there.

“I’m just delighted with the horse and at the end of the day he’s done very little wrong. He’s not been out of the first three in his career.

“He’ll go to Deauville now for the mile-and-a-quarter race Economics won last year (Prix Guillaume d’Ornano). That was our plan after this and hopefully next year we’re going to be working back from the Prince of Wales’s.”

Ombudsman aiming to put Eclipse rivals in the shade

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Ombudsman will try to stamp himself the outstanding colt of the season by following up his emphatic Royal Ascot success in an exceptional edition of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.

John Gosden has won the Esher track’s summer highlight four times, but now training in conjunction with son Thady, he has a horse who showed in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes he is ready to add his name to the list of greats to race out of the family’s historic Clarehaven base.

“We always thought he had the potential to be a horse of this class, but you can only find that out on the day,” said Thady Gosden reflecting on his brilliant performance at the Royal meeting.

“He would have been an unlucky loser, he had a few traffic problems but then he showed that great turn of foot that (sire) Night Of Thunder seems to give them and he picked up well when he asked him.

Ombudsman was an impressive Ascot scorer
Ombudsman was an impressive Ascot scorer (David Davies/PA)

“The idea before Ascot was that if he ran well enough there, then we would come for this. When it went the way it did and he came out of it well, it was very much the plan. We always thought we would start him later in the season, give him a run before Ascot and go from there.

“He’s developed quite gradually and hopefully he’s got a bright future.”

Vadeni secured a first win for a French-trained horse since 1960 when scoring three years ago and Andre Fabre saddles his ultra-smart three-time Group One winner Sosie as he looks to add his name to the roll of honour.

Two of those top-level victories have come in his last two starts and the Prix Ganay and Prix d’Ispahan winner – who currently heads the betting for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – adds a Gallic flavour to this stellar line-up.

Fabre said: “I don’t know if he has improved (this season), he has been running over a different distance and he’s a triple Group One winner.

“The horse hasn’t surprised me this year, he has just confirmed what I thought.

“He is meeting different opposition on Saturday and it is an interesting race, with two Classic winners and a good older horse of Godolphin’s – it’s a good race.

“The ground is not a concern, he doesn’t like the soft and enjoys that good ground.”

Andre Fabre is the master trainer
Andre Fabre is the master trainer (Adam Morgan/PA)

On what it would mean to add the Eclipse to his already glittering CV, the trainer added: “Any race I’m running in I’m happy to win it, whether it’s the Eclipse or a race in the country. It’s not a trainer’s race, it’s a horse race.”

It is no surprise to see Aidan O’Brien well-represented in this first major clash of the generations as the race’s most successful trainer bids for a record-extending ninth success with beaten Derby favourite Delacroix (Ryan Moore) and French Derby hero Camille Pissarro (Christophe Soumillon).

O’Brien said: “Both of them have been very good since their last runs and we felt in the Derby with Delacroix, he got knocked down at the top of the hill and ended up too far back and I’d say the trip was too far. That’s what we think.

“We didn’t know going for the French Derby if Camille Pissarro would get the trip, but he did get it. This is probably a little bit tougher track and a tougher race, but everything has gone well and he’s in good shape.”

Ruling Court after winning the 2000 Guineas
Ruling Court after winning the 2000 Guineas (Joe Giddens/PA)

Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell is another of the Classic generation to make the trip from Ireland, while Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas champion Ruling Court finally steps up in trip after defeat at Royal Ascot.

Charlie Appleby told wwww.godolphin.com: “The tempo of the St James’s Palace Stakes was completely different to what Ruling Court encountered in the 2000 Guineas. They went an end-to-end gallop and he never really looked comfortable throughout the race.

“We have always wanted to step him up in trip and a mile and a quarter is probably the ideal distance to aim for as a first try over middle distances. There is only one Derby, so we obviously had a look at the mile-and-a-half route before deciding not to run at Epsom due to the ground.

“Conditions at Sandown look there to suit. He has won around the course before and has a significant weight pull against the older horses, which can often come into play in an Eclipse. It’s a small but very strong field, and he’s a Classic-winning colt who doesn’t look out of place in the field.”

Buick expected to maintain Ombudsman partnership in the Eclipse

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William Buick is poised to maintain his partnership with Ombudsman in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday, despite Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court holding an entry.

Speaking on a media Zoom call, joint-trainer Thady Gosden confirmed Buick is set to take the ride on the four-year-old, who was a brilliant winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

And confidence is high in the camp that he can follow up in the traditional first clash of the generations, albeit respectful of the fact the gap between the Royal meeting and the Eclipse is a relatively short one.

“We’ve had some nice horses from the yard run in it over the years. It’s a fantastic race and it’s a big thanks to Coral for 50 years of sponsorship, it’s pretty amazing,” said Gosden, who trains alongside his father, John, a four-time Eclipse winner.

“Obviously it is a very tight turnaround, we’d rather have given him longer, especially when they are running in solid Group One races. But he’s in very good order, he’d only had the one run before Ascot at Sandown in the Brigadier Gerard when he was second to Almaqam.

“He hasn’t had a hard season, he hasn’t had a hard career so far really, so we thought why not get him ready for this.

“The Prince of Wales’s was a very tough race against plenty of hard-knocking Group One horses and he was still relatively inexperienced, it was his first run in a Group One.”

The turn of foot on display at Ascot means Ombudsman has been all the rage for this, so much so that any thoughts to run his stablemate Field Of Gold in the race were immediately shelved after he was also successful at Ascot, in his case over a mile in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Ombudsman's win was John Gosden's 70th at Royal Ascot
Ombudsman’s win was John Gosden’s 70th at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“They both ran huge races at Ascot,” said Gosden.

“Field Of Gold was particularly impressive, just the natural speed he has, and the raw speed he showed there, why rush into a mile and a quarter when you know he’s got the class over a mile that he’s shown.

“It’s the first meeting of the generations. The three-year-olds look very good, you’ve got a French Derby winner in there (Camille Pissarro), some serious three-year-olds.

“We’ve got Field Of Gold among that generation, but obviously they’ve been running over different trips, his form does tie in with Ruling Court. They look a very solid bunch.

“Of course you’ve got Sosie who is probably the best 10/12-furlong horse in France coming over as well. We finished second to him in the Prix d’Ispahan with Sardinian Warrior and he won the Ganay the time before that.

“All these horses have a very good turn of foot, but he’s got plenty of speed, he’s always had it, he’s improved every start and he stays a mile and a quarter well.

“He’s meeting a few of the same rivals again, but now there’s the three-year-olds with a weight advantage and Sosie looks a serious horse, so he might have to improve again.”

Stars aligned for stellar renewal of Coral-Eclipse

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Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is shaping up to be the race of the season so far, with a plethora of Group One winners confirmed on Monday, headed by Ombudsman.

John and Thady Gosden’s four-year-old came of age at Royal Ascot when winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and only has one defeat on his record.

That was in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at the hands of Ed Walker’s Almaqam and the two could clash again at the weekend.

Back in second at Ascot was Owen Burrows’ evergreen Champion Stakes winner Anmaat, although connections will want to see more rain than is currently forecast.

“He needs rain to run. We’re having a look and there is a few showers about Wednesday and Thursday, but he would need a drop of rain,” said Burrows.

Anmaat and Jim Crowley after finishing second in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
Anmaat and Jim Crowley after finishing second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Adam Morgan/PA)

“We’re on weather-watch a bit so he’s by no means a definite runner.

“The showers are so hit and miss. It feels like you could get a real good thunder storm as it is so hot and muggy but you might only get 2-4mm and Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) would be putting all that and more on with watering, so that’s not going to make much difference.

“We just felt because it is so hot if there are a few thunderstorms it’s worth leaving him in but he would need a nice drop of rain – more than what they are forecasting.

“He’s come out of Ascot well but this is just two and a half weeks later so I wouldn’t want to be running him on fast ground again.”

Andre Fabre has had the race as a target for some time for Sosie. Beaten favourite when fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last season, he has won the Prix Ganay and Prix d’Ispahan this term over shorter trips.

William Buick on board Ruling Court after winning the 2000 Guineas
William Buick on board Ruling Court after winning the 2000 Guineas (Joe Giddens/PA)

Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court could aim to bounce back from his defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien has left three in, the French Derby winner Camille Pissarro, Delacroix, who was sent off favourite in the Derby, and Epanded.

Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, a Group One winner at two, Ralph Beckett’s Derby fifth Stanhope Gardens and Joseph Murphy’s White Birch complete the top-class potential field of 11.

The sponsors have installed Ombudsman as their 13-8 favourite ahead of Sosie at 9-2.

“With all the leading contenders standing their ground at the latest entry stage, we have the prospect of a stellar line-up for this year’s Coral-Eclipse, the 50th running of the race under our sponsorship,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“This is the traditional first clash of the generations, and so it’s fitting there are both Group One-winning older horses and Classic-winning three-year-olds prominent in the betting.”

Ombudsman heightening excitement for Walker with Almaqam

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Ed Walker is looking forward to seeing Almaqam return to the track after watching Ombudsman frank the form of the Brigadier Gerard Stakes when dazzling in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Almaqam impressively made all at Sandown to see off John and Thady Gosden’s performer, but with Walker deciding to wait for more suitable ground rather than head to the Royal meeting with his talented four-year-old, the door was left open for Ombudsman to boost the Esher result. which now looks red hot.

“It looked a very strong renewal of the Brigadier Gerard, Ombudsman has come out and confirmed he’s a smart horse and hopefully we can do soon,” said Walker, who enjoyed a tremendous time at the Royal meeting with two winners and Do Or Do Not beaten only by Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes.

“It’s an exciting result to see for us, but you have to remember Sandown was Ombudsman’s first run of the season and he was carrying a 3lb penalty. He loomed up like he was going to be a threat and John and Thady will know more than me, but it felt like he needed the run slightly carrying a penalty on easy ground.

“It is exciting and I think we all felt at Sandown the first two were very smart horses.”

After quick ground scuppered any designs of turning up in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes for Almaqam himself, Walker is now left searching for ideal conditions buoyant he has plenty to look forward to.

Ombudsman was a brilliant winner at Royal Ascot
Ombudsman was a brilliant winner at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“It’s all ground dependent and we will have him in everything and take our pick,” added Walker on future plans.

“He’ll be in everything at a mile and a quarter, but I wouldn’t rule out going a mile and a half as well. We have put him in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket (July 10) over a mile and a half, so we will see where the ground will suit.”

Ombudsman shows star quality with sizzling Prince of Wales’s display

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Ombudsman displayed a devastating change of gear to run out a brilliant winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Successful on each of his first four starts last season, including a Group Three win in France, John and Thady Gosden’s colt met with defeat for the first time when second to Almaqam on his return to action in last month’s Brigadier Gerard at Sandown.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old faced a further hike in class for this Group One feature, but after being settled well off the strong early pace by William Buick, he engaged overdrive once in the clear halfway up the straight and readily picked off the gallant Anmaat to win by two lengths going away.

See The Fire was third, another two and a half lengths behind the 7-1 winner, but Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles, the 13-8 favourite, faded into fifth place.

Gosden senior, celebrating his 70th Royal Ascot winner, said: “He’s a special horse and it’s just a question of an owner giving you the time to let them mature and get there.

“He’s got a turn of foot and he (Buick) knew it, it was a matter of getting out, but I did notice when he finally got daylight there was a furlong to go.”

He went on: “It’s a question of, when you get to the straight, whether you get the luck. He wasn’t in a position where he could swing round the field, it was more of a case of waiting for the gap.

“He was very patient. I knew when there was a gap at the furlong pole that this horse has an extraordinary turn of foot – he was patient and he was rewarded.

“When we bought him he was an immature horse, he didn’t run as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old we brought him on and then put him away. He’s horse who is now properly grown and developed as a four-year-old.

The Prince of Wales presents a commemorative saddle blanket to trainer John Gosden following his 70th win at Royal Ascot with Ombudsman
The Prince of Wales presents a commemorative saddle blanket to trainer John Gosden following his 70th win at Royal Ascot with Ombudsman (David Davies/PA)

“He’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse, he’s got a wonderful turn of foot as you saw and I think we’ll play to that strength. As far as I’m concerned he’s done nothing but grow in stature.

“He is a horse that because he hasn’t over-raced this year, he could be a horse you could look at the Eclipse.

“That wouldn’t be my choice (to run him against Field Of Gold).”

Thady Gosden added: “When William found a gap he asked him to go through it and he was very quick.

“The Eclipse looks like the natural step to take. It was a top-class field today, it was the most elite field of the week as it often is and he showed what he was capable of there.

“It wasn’t a huge field but it was highly elite, as you’d expect at this meeting. He certainly came up good.”

William Buick was all smiles after winning on Ombudsman
William Buick was all smiles after winning on Ombudsman (John Walton/PA)

Buick was noticeably jubilant on passing the line, after an opening day that had seen high-profile reverses for Notable Speech and Ruling Court.

He said: “This place tames lions. It’s so special to win here because it’s so tough, everyone comes here in great form and everyone is doing their very best of course.

“They went a hard gallop. I was always going to have to ride for a bit of luck and he quickened instantly. I thought he was impressive.

“I think that was a taste of what’s to come for sure. He’s got low miles on the clock, he’s an exciting horse.”