Ascot: Ombudsman may be BC-bound after solid victory in Champion Stakes

Ombudsman rebounded from the worst performance of his career to display one of his finest with a victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot in Britain, an outcome that could lead to a start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Ombudsman, who paid $4.10 as the favorite in American pools, won the $1.72 million Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles by 3 3/4 lengths over Calandagan in a field of six. Calandagan, the 9-5 second choice, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of 7-1 Bay City Roller, who was second in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris on Oct. 4.

Calandagan and Ombudsman were first and second in the 2025 Champion Stakes.

On Saturday, Ombudsman raced in a stalking position under William Buick before taking the lead with a furlong remaining. Ombudsman drew clear late to dominate a field of six.

“I thought William was riding him very confidently in the straight, and I thought, When are you going to go?” trainer John Gosden said. “He showed that turn of foot.”

Gosden said Ombudsman will either be sent to Keeneland or will be retired to stud. A 5-year-old horse by Night of Thunder, Ombudsman has won 10 of 14 starts for Godolphin Racing. In August, he finished fourth in the Group 1 International Stakes at York, the only time in his career he has been worse than second.

“At York, he just spun his wheels, but today we were back to seeing what he is,” Gosden said. “It was a great performance in a small but classy field.”

If Ombudsman starts in the BC Turf, he will be the first Champion Stakes winner to attempt the double since King of Steel, who finished fifth in the 2023 BC Turf at Santa Anita.

Kalanisi won the 2000 Champion Stakes, then run at Newmarket, and the BC Turf at Churchill Downs in his next start. Pebbles won the Champion Stakes at Newmarket and the BC Turf in her next start at Aqueduct in 1985.

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup races are due on Monday and will be announced on Wednesday. Gosden said that Ombudsman would be suited to the Keeneland turf course. Interestingly, Ombudsman has never started at the BC Turf distance of 1 1/2 miles.

“He is the right type of horse, and I think the track would suit him, so it is a possibility,” Gosden said of the BC Turf.

Calandagan missed a chance to become the first repeat winner of the Champion Stakes since the Gosden-trained Cracksman in 2017-2018. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said after Saturday’s race that Calandagan may start in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 29, a race the 5-year-old gelding won in 2025.

Godolphin, owned by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, swept the two biggest races at Ascot on Saturday when Talk of New York won the preceding race, the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for milers.

Talk of New York, ridden by Buick, took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining and won by 1 1/4 lengths over 6-1 Ten Bob Tony. Talk of New York paid $7.10. Rayif, who was reluctant to load, finished third at 6-1 for Graffard.

Gstaad, winner of the BC Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, finished seventh as the 9-5 favorite, fading from contention through the stretch.

Talk of New York, trained by Charlie Appleby, is a rapidly improving 3-year-old colt by Wootton Bassett. Talk of New York won the Group 2 Joel Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths at a mile at Newmarket on Sept. 25 for his first win in a group stakes.

The $1.45 million Queen Elizabeth II Stakes was by far his richest win. Appleby said after Saturday’s race that Talk of New York is a contender for the BC Mile, but at Belmont Park in 2027. The stable has the leading contender in this year’s BC Mile with Notable Speech, who won the same race at Del Mar last year.

“I am delighted with the way the horse has matured,” Appleby said of Talk of New York.

“Talk Of New York has been a challenge for everybody. Early on in his career, he was very headstrong.

“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.”

There were three other Group 1 races worth $662,000 earlier on the Ascot program.

*** Mount Atlas ($55.10) overcame traffic in the stretch to win the Long Distance Cup at two miles by three-quarters of a length over 10-1 Queenstown. Highwayman, the 8-5 favorite in a field of 10, finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

Mount Atlas, a 5-year-old gelding by Masar, was ridden by P.J. McDonald for trainer Andrew Balding. Mount Atlas has won 5 of 19 starts.

*** Almeraq, winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Ascot in June and the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park last month, confirmed his status as the top British sprinter with a neck win over 13-1 Paborus in the British Champions Sprint.

Almeraq, who paid $3.60 as the favorite, closed well to reach the front in the final strides. Division finished third, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, in a field of 16.

Almeraq is trained by William Haggas and was ridden by Tom Marquand.

*** Minnie Hauk, Europe’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025, won her fourth Group 1 race in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Sprint at 1 1/2 miles, a victory that could lead to a start in the BC Turf.

Minnie Hauk, ridden by Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien, was never far from the front and won Saturday’s race by 1 1/2 lengths over 13-1 Believed, with 5-1 Lilt a neck behind in third. Minnie Hauk paid $9.90.

Kalpana, the winner of the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes against males at Ascot in July and fifth in the Arc de Triomphe, finished seventh of 12th in her final start, Balding said after the race.

O’Brien said Minnie Hauk will be bred to Justify in early 2027 and may have one more start at Keeneland.

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