Ombudsman turned the tables on Calandagan with a stunning performance in the Group 1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Just over two lengths behind Calandagan in last year’s edition of the 10-furlong showpiece, the 5/4 favourite travelled powerfully behind Bay City Roller in the straight as his old rival unleased a strong run from the rear of the six runners.

It soon became apparent that Ombdudsman and Calandagan had it between them, but John & Thady Gosden’s contender quickly settled the outcome with a fine change of gear. Calandagan (5/2) was almost four lengths behind at the line, with Bay City Roller (17/2) a further length and three quarters back in third.

Ombudsman, who was bouncing back from a fourth placing in the Group 1 Juddmonte International, now has three Ascot wins to his name, having become the first horse in 31 years to win back-to-back Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Ascot.

John Gosden said: “I thought William was riding him very confidently in the straight, and I thought, ‘When are you going to go?’ He showed that turn of foot. The ground today is on the slow side of good, and he can handle that. At York, he just spun his wheels, but today we were back to seeing what he is. It was a great performance in a small but classy field.

“We set nice, even fractions – Rab [Havlin] on Devil’s Advocate – and there was no plan to go fast, slow or pull it up. We talked about that beforehand. We wanted solid, even fractions, and Bay City Roller was out there with us. It was a special performance from a special horse.

“We got a little too far back in this race last year, way back, 10 or 11 lengths off it, 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. I think we got the tactics a little wrong last year, but that takes nothing away from Calandagan; he won well.

“Either he will go to stud or I will discuss it with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to see if he would like to consider putting him in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. That is the only other option now. Golden Horn did not enjoy Keeneland because it was like a sandpit when he ran, and it rained three inches. But this horse would handle it well. He is quick and agile, and he could have sat on the lead if he had wanted to today. He is the right type of horse, and I think the track would suit him, so it is a possibility. We do not have to make a rapid decision.

“Ombudsman is the best mile-and-a-quarter horse I have trained, definitely. I do not know if he is the best overall. He is going to stud, so I had better say yes, had I not, because that helps sell the nominations!”

William Buick said: “That was something else, but Ombudsman has shown that before, has he not? I think at York, the softer ground was one factor, and there were a couple of others. It was a funny race. But we saw the real Ombudsman today, and that turn of foot is amazing. Explosive. He is the fastest horse I have ever ridden over 10 furlongs. It is an amazing feeling.

“He has such a good racing brain and races so economically, but when you ask him, he fills up, and he is like a coiled spring. You fill him up and off he goes. He is an incredible racehorse, and I do feel very privileged to ride a horse of his calibre. He really is amazing.

“I could see Calandagan in the corner of my eye, but only very briefly, because we left him again. We had a ding-dong last year, and it is one-one now. Two great racehorses, and they produced a great race last year, but it was our turn today.”

Francis-Henri Graffard said of Calandagan: “He jumped quite slowly and took time to get on the pace, but he was following Ombudsman nicely. On the last bend, we had to go round other horses, and my horse came through really strongly with a nice stride. But Ombudsman kicked for home very strongly. He is a real champion with a lot of power. My horse tried, but this year was different to last. It is not bad to be second to a horse like him.”

He added: “The plan was to go to the Japan Cup with him again, so if he comes out well, hopefully we will go back there with him. Fingers crossed, he can perform again.”

Oisin Murphy said of Bay City Roller: “A huge run from him. He takes his racing very well. He travelled brilliantly, picked up and kept going, even when he was passed by the front two.”

Ombudsman is a five-year-old horse by Darley stallion Night Of Thunder out of Syndicate, a mare by Dansili who was a modest winner for Juddmonte before being sold for 25,000gns to agent Anthony Stroud on behalf of breeder James Hanly in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

Sold at Tattersalls as a yearling, Ombudsman was bought by the Stroud Coleman agency on behalf of Godolphin for 340,000gns.

4.00pm Qatar Racing Champion Stakes (Group 1)

1 Ombudsman (Godolphin) John & Thady Gosden 5-9-07 William Buick 5/4F

2 Calandagan (Aga Khan Studs SCEA) Francis-Henri Graffard 5-9-07 Christophe Soumillon 5/2

3 Bay City Roller (Victorious Forever) George Scott 4-9-07 Oisin Murphy 17/2

6 ran