Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Group 1)

THE 5/4 favourite Ombudsman (John & Thady Gosden/William Buick) avenged last year’s defeat with an emphatic success in the Group 1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes. A bid for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, mooted in the post-race interview, has since been passed over with the Japan Cup a possible.

Beaten just over two lengths by Calandagan in the 2025 renewal, Ombudsman was kept closer to the action this time as Devil’s Advocate supplied an even tempo, chased by Arc runner-up Bay City Roller into the straight, while Calandagan began to wind up for his trademark late rush.

The French raiser threatened briefly, but Ombudsman produced the more decisive burst and quickly put the contest beyond doubt, beating Calandagan (Francis-Henri Graffard/Christophe Soumillon) by three and three-quarter lengths, with Bay City Roller (George Scott/Oisin Murphy) another length and three-quarters back in third.

It was a sharp return to form after Ombudsman had finished fourth in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York. The victory was his third at Ascot, including consecutive renewals of the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

John Gosden said: “I thought William was riding him very confidently in the straight and I thought, ‘When are you going to go?’ Then he showed that turn of foot.

“The ground today is on the slow side of good - he can handle that. At York he just spun his wheels, but today it was back to seeing what he is.

“We got a little too far back in this race last year….so we thought we were not going to do that again. This time the race went perfectly, [William] rode him just how he wanted to and he is a top-class horse when we get it right.

“The best mile-and-a-quarter horse I have trained? Definitely. He is going to stud, so I had better say yes, because that helps sell the nominations!”

Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1)

SENT off at 5/1 Minnie Hauk (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) rediscovered her best form with a commanding victory in the Group 1 Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

The four-year-old sat on the quarters of front-running stablemate Sugar Island before challenging approaching the final furlong.

She quickly asserted as the leader weakened and won by a length and a half from Believed (Johnny Murtagh/Oisin Murphy), with Lilt (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) a neck further back in third.

Unplaced in the Arc on her previous appearance, Minnie Hauk bounced back only 13 days later. It was a reminder of the form that brought her a Group 1 hat-trick in last year’s English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks.

O’Brien said: “Minnie Hauk is a very high-class filly. William thought she got caught in the Arc when they went slowly and felt she was better than that. Ryan kept it simple today. She was drawn wide, but he stayed out before coming back in and was very good on her.

“She had a lot of trouble with corns this year, so we never got a good run into her.

“Since the Arc she has been lovely and everything has been great. Corns are like having a stone in your foot; we would clear them up and they would come back, but lately they have come right.

“The lads will decide whether they go to America with her or retire her, but I think she is going to Justify at the end of the year. Whatever happens, I am delighted for everyone involved.”

Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint (Group 1)

THE 11/10 favourite Almeraq (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) confirmed himself as Britain’s leading sprinter with a third Group 1 victory of the season in the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint.

William Haggas’ colt arrived after an impressive success over Paborus in the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park, although the same rival made him work harder at Ascot having raced closer to the far rail, where the field converged.

Paborus (Edward Bethell/Danny Tudhope) was given an enterprising ride along the far rail, forcing Tom Marquand to angle across before launching Almeraq’s challenge.

The favourite picked up strongly to wear down the runner-up and prevail by a neck, with the winner’s stablemate Division (James Doyle) three and a quarter lengths further back in third.

Champion sprinter

The victory was Almeraq’s second at Ascot this season, following the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and strengthened his claim to champion sprinter honours.

Haggas said: “He had ground to make up, but he got there. Paborus, who was well beaten by us at Haydock, got much closer but, fortunately, not close enough.

“He deserves to be Britain’s champion sprinter. He has won three Group 1s and come back from a bad fall at York last year. He is a really, really good horse and must be the best sprinter here.”

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1)

TALK Of New York (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) continued his ascent to stardom with a dominant victory in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qatar Racing) for Godolphin, winning at an SP of 3/1.

Covered up in midfield, Talk Of New York made smooth headway to challenge at the two-furlong pole and readily put daylight between himself and his rivals. Ten Bob Tony (Ed Walker/Kieran Shoemark) and Rayif (Francis-Henri Graffard/Christophe Soumillon) closed the deficit towards the line but never looked like getting there, going down by a length and a quarter and a neck. Gstaad could only finish eighth.

Talk Of New York landed the Listed Heron Stakes in the spring before a fine third in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot; he proved that was no fluke with a wide-margin win in the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket last month. That win suggested he was a potential superstar and he fulfilled all that early promise here, with the promise of even more to come as a four-year-old.

Appleby said: “I am delighted with the way the horse has matured. First, I want to give Maurizio [Pasquale, former jockey, and Talk Of New York’s work rider] a lot of credit for this horse.

“Early on in his career, he was very headstrong, and Maurizio has always had a lot of faith in this horse. He told me back in the spring, ‘Charlie, he is one of the best three-year-olds I have sat on.’

“All the team have done such a great job with him. What I loved today, and what I saw at Newmarket, is the way he is maturing mentally. He walked around the paddock today like a proper old horse, whereas earlier in his career he would get a bit on his toes, and you never like to see that too much when you are coming into these bigger events.

“He is a horse who came in with a lot of natural ability, and the team has done a fantastic job of nurturing him in the right way. As always, I can only thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Team Godolphin for giving us the opportunity to take our time with him. Thankfully, he has repaid everybody.”

Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 1)

ANDREW Balding struck early in his trainers’ championship bid as 33/1 chance Mount Atlas (PJ McDonald) sprang a surprise in the Group 1 Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Progressive over staying trips this season, Mount Atlas crept into contention and had to wait until the final furlong for room, before cutting down the prominently ridden Queenstown (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) by three-quarters of a length, with Highwayman (Joseph O’Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle) the same distance away in third.

Balding said: “PJ has given Mount Atlas an absolutely stellar ride there. We got out at just the right time – he does not want to hit the front too soon, and it has panned out perfectly. That is his style. He needs to be delivered late, and it could not have worked better. Mount Atlas is a very talented horse. We were taking a chance over the two miles, but he loves Ascot and PJ gave him a brilliant ride. I am just sorry my mother is not here – she has gone to watch a hockey match. She would have loved that because she bred him.”

ALREADY the winner of sales races at Newmarket (twice) and Doncaster, Night In Vegas (Eve Johnson Houghton/Charlie Bishop) gained another big pot in the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes.

A well-backed 5/2 shot, he was settled in rear before making relentless progress in the last two furlongs to get the better of Gimcrack Stakes winner Arapaho Gold (Michael Dods/Connor Beasley) by a nose. Satellite Of Love (Clive Cox/Rossa Ryan), winner of the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy on his previous start, was a head further back in third in an exciting finish.

Johnson Houghton described her reaction to hearing the photo had gone her way, saying: “The moment it came through, I made a right noise – a bit of a show of myself! I honestly thought we were beat.

“I think they set off very fast and he just got behind a wall of horses that are not as good as him. Luckily, he is like a little motorbike.

“He has been incredible – what a horse. He has run eight times, won six, been third in the Richmond and fifth in the Coventry.

“He has not got the greatest feet, and we probably did not have him in the greatest condition in the middle of the summer when the ground was so firm – that really told on him – so I do not think that was his best form, and he is improving. He is just a wonder horse to train.

“This should be a group race. I understand why it is not - but it is as good as a group race. Night In Vegas is going to have a nice holiday, and so am I!”