Ombudsman lays down the law in G1 Juddmonte International Stakes

Ombudsman gave trainer John Gosden his fourth victory in the last eight G1 Juddmonte International Stakes, the feature race on the opening day of the Ebor meeting, on Wednesday but there was a surprise defeat for Epsom Derby winner Lambourn.

Gosden, who shares training duties with his son Thady, might have feared a case of deja vu after another stable star Field of Gold was beaten by his pacemaker at Goodwood in the Sussex Stakes.

Rab Havlin set a searing pace on Ombudsman’s pacemaker Birr Castle and when he was 25 lengths clear it looked like he might pull off a shock on the 150/1 shot, sent over from France by Andre Fabre.

However, he began to tire and William Buick found an extra gear on Ombudsman to take the honours with second favourite Delacroix, who had beaten him in their previous clash the Eclipse Stakes, finishing runner-up.

Birr Castle took third and a hefty cheque of £141,000 ($190,000), due reward for his efforts -- Buick doing a high five with Havlin for his riding performance.

Japanese runner Danon Decile failed to justify his tag as third favourite, watched on television by an estimated 3 million people back in Japan, finishing second last of the six runners with his connections saying “there were no excuses”.

With this win, Ombudsman became only the third horse to win the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International in the same year.

For Buick, though, it was a bitter sweet victory as he dedicated the victory to a close friend.

“Lost a dear friend last week,” said the 37-year-old Norway-born jockey.

“I was meant to be having dinner with him tonight but he passed away suddenly.”

Gosden said he had been worried at one stage Fabre’s horse would win.

“With two furlongs to run I thought Andre had won the race!” said Gosden.

“But Ombudsman is a lovely horse, he won it emphatically, he has only been beaten in the Eclipse this season and that was a muddling affair.

“He is getting better and better, he’s a proper horse.”

Earlier, the warning signs were out for Ryan Moore and Lambourn a fair way from home in the Group Two Voltigeur Stakes.

As he faded to fifth it was Pride of Arras, a horse that finished well behind him both at Epsom and in the Irish Derby, that prevailed.

Well fancied for Epsom when he won the Dante at York in May, it appeared trainer Ralph Beckett’s decision to geld him had transformed him.

The only downside is that it rules him out of running in the oldest classic, the English St Leger at Doncaster in September.

“He is just a very good horse,” said Beckett. “There is never one specific factor in losing one’s form, there are layers.

“He needed gelding. After his two disappointing Derby runs the game was gone as regards being a stallion.

“He is now back to where he belongs, it is fantastic.”

Beckett was loathe to say it was his greatest training performance.

“I suppose at the end of the year we will be proud to have got him back to the top tier.”

Winning jockey Rossa Ryan said gelding him had been the right call.

“I won’t lie, I lost a bit of belief in him,” he said.

“Form, though, is temporary, class is permanent and he showed that in the Dante and today.”

Distant Storm cost Dubai’s Godolphin Operation 1.9million euros but the 11/10 favourite failed to sparkle in the Group Three Acomb Stakes fading to finish third behind Gewan and Aidan O’Brien’s Italy.

Gewan’s victory owed much to jockey PJ McDonald, who has struck up a great relationship with trainer Andrew Balding. This was his 17th winner in 55 rides for him.

Gewan, whose performance earned him a 16/1 quote for next year’s English 2000 Guineas, had shown he has the ideal big race temperament by falling asleep in his box an hour before the race.