Ombudsman ready to lay down the law again

John and Thady Gosden have another Royal Ascot ace to play on Wednesday when OMBUDSMAN goes after back-to-back wins in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes — and he is strongly fancied to defend his crown.

The triple Group 1 winner reportedly sparkled on the Limekilns earlier this week, cruising clear of his lead horse under William Buick looking every inch the superstar, teeing up a mouthwatering clash with last year’s Arc hero Daryz.

Ombudsman is hardly one to tear the place down at home, so a sharp piece of work from this laid-back five-year-old had the Clarehaven camp buzzing. He looks stronger, sharper and more streetwise than he did 12 months ago.

He was entitled to need his comeback in the Brigadier Gerard, yet still managed to concede 7lb and a neck beating to the highly promising Gethin while shaping as though there was plenty more under the bonnet. With that prep in the bag, it would be no shock if punters pile in and send him off favourite on the day.

Last year’s victory was his Group 1 breakthrough, but it was not an easy watch. The worry was whether the gaps would arrive in time. They did — and once Buick found room and pressed go, the response was electric storming two lengths clear of Anmaat. In a less messy renewal with pacemakers employed, his turn of foot can prove devastating. 

A familiar route is likely to follow, with the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International — which he won last year — obvious targets for a horse already earning his place amongst stable greats such as Golden Horn, Cracksman and Enable.

The Gosdens are the only British operation to wrest the Royal Ascot leading trainer title away from Aidan O’Brien in the last decade and they field another strong team over the five days, particularly in the handicaps.

FIFTH COLUMN has been trained with Wednesday’s Royal Hunt Cup firmly in mind. Any draw and pace bias will need to play ball in the 30-runner cavalry charge, but he did best of the hold-up horses in last season’s Britannia and this has long since been the plan.

He had earlier enjoyed a productive three-year-old campaign winning valuable pots at Newmarket and York and shaped with any amount of promise with his comeback behind him at Newmarket in May when collared late by Erzindjan.

WARRANT HOLDER could bring the house down if giving the King and Queen a Royal winner. He holds a Wolferton entry but is more likely to be seen in a handicap later in the week, and the noises from home are encouraging.

The yard is well represented for Thursday’s Gold Cup too, with last year’s winner Trawlerman back from injury and Sweet William set to take on the Ballydoyle banker Scandinavia, many punters idea of the Royal Ascot good thing of the week.

At the prices, though, the bet could be the fast-improving RAHIEBB. He got close to Scandinavia in the St Leger and when beaten only a neck on ground softer than ideal.

Scandinavia has since been doing what was expected against lesser stayers, but workmanlike wins are not bombproof evidence for a Gold Cup coronation, however bullish the Ballydoyle vibes may be.

Roger Varian knows how to ready a stayer and the word around Rahiebb is strong. This has been the plan all winter, the preparation has gone smoothly and his Yorkshire Cup success left connections thrilled.

He travelled sweetly at York and looked a different animal from the raw colt of last season. The extra distance is the one question left to answer, but Varian is confident he will stay.

DOUBLE RUSH has two Royal Ascot options, but his Queen Elizabeth II Stakes entry screams one thing: group horse in a handicap. The Wokingham on Saturday is the first-choice target, however. He has looked a serious sprinter since joining Andrew Balding, winning both starts at Newmarket this season, and a mark of 105 may still underestimate him. If Ascot goes to plan, the July Cup is next on the agenda.

Balding also has a live one in GALIYAN for Wednesday’s Queen’s Vase. The Chester maiden winner looks a progressive young stayer and should relish another step up in trip. The Gosdens run a similar type, POINT OF LAW, who is worth a saver as he tackles an extra four furlongs after his Newbury maiden win - a ploy often used by the wily Gosden with his young stayers.

MORE THUNDER can strike early at the meeting for William Haggas in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes. There was much to like about his impressive Royal Ascot trial run when finishing with his customary late surge in the Lockinge at Newbury.

Notable Speech is the obvious threat, but More Thunder can get much closer in the rematch. Tom Marquand dropped him in at Newbury and he was still last three furlongs out before weaving through traffic and finishing with a rattle behind a winner who had already flown.

He was one of last season’s great improvers, rising from handicaps to Pattern company, going close in the Wokingham before landing the Bunbury Cup and Hungerford Stakes. His Prix de la Forêt fourth from a nightmare draw confirmed he belongs at this level and Ascot’s straight mile should be right up his street. He loves the track, has the pace for shorter trips and may now find a mile his optimum. 

LIBERTANGO put herself firmly in the Albany Stakes picture on Friday with a taking six-furlong debut win for George Boughey at Leicester —and the clock backed up the impression.

Her time compared looked useful and it’s a race  which has featured numerous smart types such as Thunder Snow, Fennaan and Tormore, so this was no ordinary winning start by the daughter of No Nay Never.

A 400,000gns Craven Breeze-Up purchase, she showed the sharpness expected under Billy Loughnane, who felt she still ran a bit green despite beating the colts when coming  home clear of Savage Mariner by a length and a half.

Boughey is sweet on her and it is easy to see why. She has speed, professionalism and the right attitude for a juvenile filly, while her pedigree — from the family of 1,000 Guineas winner Mawj — hints at more to come.

Horses to watch this week

With the big meeting looming, punters looking to top up the Royal Ascot bank should give Balding’s MOUNT ATLAS a close look in Saturday’s Ebor Trial at York. And while Karl Burke’s Queen Mary hotpot Wild Blossom will draw plenty of attention, a good word is also out for his juvenile COLLATERAL DAMAGE, a Windsor Castle entry who makes his debut in the opener at Catterick on Thursday evening.

ATR Tracker: Epsom eyecatchers

NEVER SO BRAVE is well worth forgiving for his Epsom effort. Slowly away and forced to race on ground slower than ideal, he never landed a blow in a race dominated by those ridden handy. He remains on course for the seven-furlong Group 1 he won at York’s Ebor meeting last season.

ITEM is said to have come out of the Derby in good shape. Colin Keane did well to overcome a tricky draw and secure a handy early position, but proper soft ground blunted his chance and left the key question unanswered: does he truly stay the trip?

There are not many obvious Group-race options, with few three-year-old-only contests over ten furlongs and a penalty to carry in most. He also lacks an Irish Derby entry, so connections may have to regroup and wait for the right opening later in the season given Colin Keane felt the Derby trip stretched his mount's stamina.