OMBUDSMAN EXACTED QATAR Racing Champion Stakes revenge on Calandagan to come out on top with a show-stopping performance at Ascot.
It was Francis-Henri Graffard’s French raider who took home the spoils 12 months ago, but this time around there was a decisive verdict in favour of John and Thady Gosden’s home favourite, who obliged as the 5-4 market leader.
With the six-strong field heading into the home straight grouped tightly together, the stage was set for Ombudsman to demonstrate the blistering turn of foot that has often been a hallmark of his career.
When William Buick asked him to quicken, he scorched past eventual third Bay City Roller before seeing off Calandagan to banish Juddmonte International disappointment and prove he is truly one of the best middle-distance horses on the planet.
WHAT A HORSE! 💙
OMBUDSMAN WINS THE QATAR RACING CHAMPION STAKES! https://t.co/shBm5WT1pb
Talk Of New York spoke loudest as he graduated to the highest level with a sublime Queen Elizabeth II Stakes performance.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Wootton Bassett has been something of a work in progress throughout the campaign, giving a glimpse of his potential when third behind the now-retired Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.
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The colt left connections with little choice but to supplement for this Group One feature after dazzling in the Joel Stakes late last month, and he was given a supremely confident ride by William Buick, who waited before unleashing his challenge inside the final quarter-mile.
Hitting the front with a furlong to go, Talk Of New York (3-1) stayed on strongly to see off Queen Anne scorer Ten Bob Tony by a length and a quarter, with French 2000 Guineas winner Rayif running on from the rear for third.
Zara Tindall presents winning trainer Aiden O'Brien with his trophy. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Earlier, Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk served a timely reminder of her class to land the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
A dual Classic winner at three who came within a head of landing the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October, O’Brien’s daughter of Frankel had yet to hit the heights in her four-year-old career.
Ryan Moore was always close to the pace set by stablemate Sugar Island and rounding the turn for home the Ballydoyle number one was in the perfect position to strike, sending the 5-1 winner on for a length and a half triumph over fellow Irish raider, Johnny Murtagh’s Believed.
But there was to be no third win in the race for Andrew Balding’s even-money favourite Kalpana, as remarkably O’Brien landed a first Group One triumph on British Champions Day since Magical in 2019.
O’Brien said: “William (Buick) was very happy with how she ran in the Arc (this year, 10th), what can I say, she’s a very good filly.
“Ryan kept it very simple on her today, she was drawn wide, I thought he was very good on her. She’s a very good filly and obviously we know what she did last year.
“What she does now, whether that’s her or she finishes in America (Breeders’ Cup) I’m not sure, that will be down to the lads. We’ve got Precise going for the Filly & Mare so if she goes it will be for the Turf, that’s what we’re thinking at the moment anyway.
“I know she’s going to Justify at the end of the year.”
O’Brien added: “She’s had this issue with corns all year, it’s like having a stone in your shoe. They kept coming back, in both heels, but our farriers did an incredible job.
“I wasn’t confident, but I was hopeful – I’m never confident! William was very happy with her in the Arc, not thinking about where she finished. He said all she wanted was a good gallop, and she didn’t get it, she got trapped in.
“She was always going to come here if she was okay, but she’s had a very clear run since the Arc. She travelled well the whole way, and he was always in the right position.
“Andrew’s filly has been an incredible filly all the way through.”
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Ombudsman and Talk of New York shine at Ascot as Aidan O'Brien has winner
OMBUDSMAN EXACTED QATAR Racing Champion Stakes revenge on Calandagan to come out on top with a show-stopping performance at Ascot.
It was Francis-Henri Graffard’s French raider who took home the spoils 12 months ago, but this time around there was a decisive verdict in favour of John and Thady Gosden’s home favourite, who obliged as the 5-4 market leader.
With the six-strong field heading into the home straight grouped tightly together, the stage was set for Ombudsman to demonstrate the blistering turn of foot that has often been a hallmark of his career.
When William Buick asked him to quicken, he scorched past eventual third Bay City Roller before seeing off Calandagan to banish Juddmonte International disappointment and prove he is truly one of the best middle-distance horses on the planet.
Talk Of New York spoke loudest as he graduated to the highest level with a sublime Queen Elizabeth II Stakes performance.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Wootton Bassett has been something of a work in progress throughout the campaign, giving a glimpse of his potential when third behind the now-retired Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.
The colt left connections with little choice but to supplement for this Group One feature after dazzling in the Joel Stakes late last month, and he was given a supremely confident ride by William Buick, who waited before unleashing his challenge inside the final quarter-mile.
Hitting the front with a furlong to go, Talk Of New York (3-1) stayed on strongly to see off Queen Anne scorer Ten Bob Tony by a length and a quarter, with French 2000 Guineas winner Rayif running on from the rear for third.
Earlier, Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk served a timely reminder of her class to land the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
A dual Classic winner at three who came within a head of landing the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October, O’Brien’s daughter of Frankel had yet to hit the heights in her four-year-old career.
Ryan Moore was always close to the pace set by stablemate Sugar Island and rounding the turn for home the Ballydoyle number one was in the perfect position to strike, sending the 5-1 winner on for a length and a half triumph over fellow Irish raider, Johnny Murtagh’s Believed.
But there was to be no third win in the race for Andrew Balding’s even-money favourite Kalpana, as remarkably O’Brien landed a first Group One triumph on British Champions Day since Magical in 2019.
O’Brien said: “William (Buick) was very happy with how she ran in the Arc (this year, 10th), what can I say, she’s a very good filly.
“What she does now, whether that’s her or she finishes in America (Breeders’ Cup) I’m not sure, that will be down to the lads. We’ve got Precise going for the Filly & Mare so if she goes it will be for the Turf, that’s what we’re thinking at the moment anyway.
“I know she’s going to Justify at the end of the year.”
O’Brien added: “She’s had this issue with corns all year, it’s like having a stone in your shoe. They kept coming back, in both heels, but our farriers did an incredible job.
“I wasn’t confident, but I was hopeful – I’m never confident! William was very happy with her in the Arc, not thinking about where she finished. He said all she wanted was a good gallop, and she didn’t get it, she got trapped in.
“She was always going to come here if she was okay, but she’s had a very clear run since the Arc. She travelled well the whole way, and he was always in the right position.
“Andrew’s filly has been an incredible filly all the way through.”
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