THE big clash between Ombudsman and ‘Arc’ hero Daryz didn’t quite materialise, but Ombudsman (John & Thady Gosden/William Buick) proved the equine star of day two when coming with a power-packed run from off the pace to gain a decisive second win in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes, beating a back-to-form Minnie Hauk (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) by four lengths, with Daryz (Francis-Henri Graffard/Mickael Barzalona) only third, a further length and three-quarters away, having held every chance.
The pacemakers Mississippi River and Devil’s Advocate ensured a headlong gallop and were almost 10 lengths ahead of Minnie Hauk at the head of the chasing pack when turning for home. The gallop couldn’t possibly be maintained, however, and with a furlong and a half left, Devil’s Advocate led by two lengths from a weakening Mississippi River on the rail, with the big guns line abreast deeper on the track and ready to pounce.
It was Ombudsman who provided much the strongest kick, however, with Minnie Hauk boxing on bravely and Daryz unable to replicate the change of gear which had seen him land a hat-trick of Group 1 wins in his previous three outings.
This was a seventh win in the race for Godolphin and for John Gosden, who has now saddled both Ombudsman and Muhtarram (1994 & 95) to win back-to-back renewals. The only other horses to have won this prestigious race twice have been Connaught (1969 & ‘70) and Mtoto (1987 & ‘88).
“With a furlong to go, I thought they were going to have to go a bit,” said John Gosden afterwards. “But Ombudsman has got a phenomenal turn of foot – great acceleration for a mile-and-a-quarter horse. He just showed that class. It is quite something to come away from a field like that…I thought it was one of the great performances of Ombudsman’s career.
“We will watch him and see where we go. The Juddmonte International will be a major target, of course, as he likes York. We are very lucky to have some wonderful owners who send us those top-class horses because, let me tell you, you can’t train empty boxes.
“Ombudsman is right up there now with what he’s done, but you’re talking about Enable, you know, she won everything. He is a lovely horse and he’ll make a good stallion.
“He’s got all the right things; he’s got a good mind as well as a fabulous body and great strength.”
When pressed on the possibility that he might step up in trip for the King George or the Arc, Gosden joked: “He’s too good to go a mile and a half!”
IT’S like buses. You wait 25 years and then two come along at once. It’s now hard to believe that Aidan O’Brien had never trained a winner of the Queen Mary until True Love scored 12 months ago and – right on cue – he immediately delivered another as Victorious (Ryan Moore) overcame a low draw to run out a commanding winner of the Group 2 contest for fillies, beating market rival Senorita Bonita (Simon & Ed Crisford/William Buick) by two lengths with Ruiva (Wes Ward/Juan Hernandez) just a nose away in third. The winner was returned favourite at an SP of 100/30.
Settled in rear of a group that raced towards the far side, Ryan Moore switched Victorious left entering the final two furlongs, and she produced a surge that took her to the front inside the last furlong to win the five-furlong contest in the style of a filly who can go on to much better things despite the fact that she is blind in her nearside eye.
O’Brien said of the unbeaten daughter of Wootton Bassett: “Victorious is very classy. She only has sight in one eye, so we were a little worried about where she was drawn, but Ryan was brilliant on her. He reassured her and let her find her way through. He got a little group to follow and then took her to the outside.
“I am delighted for everyone who puts so much into it. It’s a big team. Yvonne, who rides her every day, and Rachel, who rides her in her work, do a great job. They are the ones who deal with her every day, nourish her and reassure her.
“She came from Coolmore and I think she lost her sight through a cataract or something when she was a foal or a yearling. She has a lot of quality and it’s very hard to beat quality.”
A WIDE draw proved no disadvantage as Blue Bolt (Andrew Balding/Colin Keane) justified favouritism in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at 5/2.
The Juddmonte filly raced well off the rail in midfield but was always going comfortably before sweeping through to challenge in the straight and going on to score by a length and three-quarters and half a length from Jancis (Willie McCreery/Sean Levey) and the unlucky Friendly Soul (John & Thady Gosden/Oisin Murphy).
Second to Fallen Angel in the Sun Chariot Stakes on her only previous try at the highest level, Blue Bolt is now set to run in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket next month.
Balding said: “Bar Blue Bolt’s first run at Southwell, she has never run a bad race.
“We have had this in mind for a while, and it’s lovely when it comes together. The aim would be a Group 1, probably the Falmouth - she’s been placed at that level before and deserves another crack at it.
“She is a star. She is relaxing better this year, which is helpful. Colin Keane gave her a brilliant ride – it’s not an easy draw, but he was decisive and got her into position. We know she gets a mile, so she’ll likely stick at that distance for the time being.”
Rematch likely
Blue Bolt is likely to meet a few of these she beat if heading to Newmarket, but one who is looking forward to a rematch is Willie McCreery, who said of Jancis: “She has done herself proud. She loves this fast ground – it cannot go fast enough for her.
“She kept galloping to the end there. A good filly beat us, but we will take her on again. It will be all Group 1s from here on and hopefully we get the fast ground.
“[Sean Levey] was delighted – delighted by the way she travelled and delighted with the way she quickened. He thought he had their measure a furlong down, but the filly just kept quickening in front.”
Also in the Falmouth, but with entries in the Eclipse at Sandown and the Pretty Polly at the Curragh, is Friendly Soul, who was sandwiched between rivals shortly after the start which badly compromised her chance.
She then ran into trouble when making ground up the inside in the straight and ran on best of all when switched. She can be considered most unlucky and is clearly at least as good as ever.
Queen’s Vase
(Group 3)
LIMESTONE (Joseph O’Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle) was first to jump from the stalls and battled back courageously to grab victory in the Group 3 Queen’s Vase, first reeling in long-time leader Ranga Tang (James Owen/Cieren Fallon) and then fending off the late thrust of Del Maro (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) to win by a nose and a length in a thrilling renewal of the mile-and-six contest.
Sent off second-favourite at 100/30, Limestone led for a furlong before the flashy outsider Ranga Tang took over. It was only well inside the last furlong that he was able to regain the lead and he had to be tough and game as Del Maro finished with a wet sail from the rear.
O’Brien said: “The horse is very tough and tenacious. It was a close finish, but I am delighted to come out on top. I thought we were beaten, to be honest.
“Dylan gave him a fantastic ride. He got a great spot and control of the race, which is what we intended to do because we felt our best attribute was a little bit of speed.
“I thought the Godolphin horse might have just nabbed us, but our fellow has been in a couple of photo-finishes through his career and he comes out on top, so it is a good trait to have in a racehorse.
“I think the sky is the limit for him in terms of a middle-distance or staying horse. He has got better with every race and has an outstanding pedigree.”
O’Briens in the ascendancy
AIDAN O’Brien has transformed Royal Ascot since moving his training base from Piltown to Ballydoyle three decades ago and he will end the week as the most successful trainer in the meeting’s long history; it all started with Harbour Master winning the Coventry Stakes in 1997 and the march since has been inexorable, with the magical century of winners duly reached on Thursday.
By the close of play on Wednesday, Aidan was teetering on the brink of 100 winners, and leading the 2026 race for top trainer, but perhaps more worrying for his rivals was the identity of the trainer hot on his heels.
With a double on Wednesday, Joseph O’Brien lags his father only on countback and as he showed when saddling the Oaks winner at Epsom recently, the only man who seems capable of toppling the king just happens to be the heir apparent.
With his deflection of praise and his ability to namecheck every member of the team responsible for his on-course successes, Joseph really is a chip off the old block, but sneers of “nepo baby” are conspicuous by their absence as Joseph – who was undoubtedly assisted by his father’s patronage as a jockey – is all on his own in the training ranks, and while getting a few horses from big owners you’ve ridden for is to be expected, the horses only keep arriving if the trainer delivers, and Joseph delivers for a wide array of patrons, and does so both on the domestic and international stage, and from the glamour of Royal Ascot and Santa Anita to the humdrum of Dundalk and Down Royal.
Landing the Queen’s Vase and the Windsor Castle to add to Tuesday’s Ascot Stakes win has very much made O’Brien Jr a trainer to have on side at the Royal Meeting, while Donnacha has already bagged a couple of big Ascot wins from limited runners to remind us that this isn’t so much a family as a dynasty, and one which has many more momentous days to celebrate.