Ombudsman is sensational in the Prince of Wales's Stakes

Juddmonte International preview: John Gosden warns it isn't a match

Horse Racing

Fri August 07, 2026 · 17h ago

John Gosden believes that Ombudsman faces more than just a challenge from Constitution River in the defence of his Juddmonte International crown at York.

Sky Bet and Paddy Power have Ombudsman as the 10/11 favourite, his three-year-old rival at 13/8 and Item the only other runner at a single-figure price.

However, Gosden, who trains the former in partnership with his son Thady, feels that the four-time Group One scorer can expect to have his talents tested by more than just his chief market rival in a bid to become just the fourth back-to-back winner of the race.

Gosden said: “You have got Constitution River, but don’t forget about the other ones in the race as people often do that. They concentrate on two horses and don’t look at anyone else. You have got an exceptional three-year-old in there, and you have got Ombudsman, but there are a number of others in there as well.”

Last year’s race almost saw Birr Castle, who was acting as a pacemaker for Ombudsman, steal the race from the front before the son of Night Of Thunder swept past and reversed the placings with his Coral-Eclipse conqueror Delacroix. And while confirming that Ombudsman, who was last seen successfully defending his Prince Of Wales’s Stakes crown at Royal Ascot, will once again have a pacemaker in the race to ensure it is a true test, Gosden feels it will be a different watch this year.

He added: “We will have one pacemaker in there and I’m sure Aidan will. I expect it to be a truly run race. I can’t imagine it would be any other way. I think the race last year got a little bit muddled as the effective pacemaker was a Japanese jockey who had never ridden at York before, if you watched the race, and Rab was ignored on his horse.

“Rab (Havlin) went a good pace, and he still finished third. From that point of view I don’t see them letting pacemakers going 20 lengths in front. Our fellow quickened up very well, and quickened away from the rest, but I imagine it will be a slightly more conventional race this time.”

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In order to prepare Ombudsman for his return to the Knavesmire later this month, Gosden put the Godolphin-owned five-year-old through his paces at Newmarket’s July Course on Friday morning.

Working over seven-and-a-half furlongs, the nine-time race winner ranged up alongside his gallop companion late on before being nudged out to finish at the head of the exercise, much to the satisfaction of his trainer.

He said: “He worked with his normal lead horse, and they went at a nice pace. They went seven-and-a-half furlongs and I would be happy with that as he hasn’t seen the grass since Royal Ascot. It is nice to be able to come down here on a quiet morning and get a bit of work into him. It was just what we needed to get back on the grass as there was no chance of doing it anywhere else right now.

“It was just a nice, normal solid piece of work, and that is all we wanted. We can now build up towards York. He is a pro now. He does what he has to do in his work. He isn’t going to do anything flashy, not that I wanted it, and the pull up area here is quick enough so I didn’t want them to go flying into the dip.”

Not only does Gosden believe that Ombudsman’s latest piece of work on the turf was another tick in the box ahead of his next assignment, but he also feels he is entering it on the back of one of his most impressive displays on the track.

He said: “I think the way he quickened up that day at Ascot was very impressive. It was a solidly, even run race, and he flew off the bend. The pacemakers did a very nice job. I think Aidan’s led, we were second, and they joined each other on the bend. They got us well into it past the two furlong pole, and then they flew in the straight.

“The pacemakers stayed on the rail and didn’t get in anyone's way, and that is the way it should be done."

Although the focus for Gosden, and his team, for the time being is about making sure Ombudsman arrives in the Juddmonte International in top form, he has raised the possibility of his stable star, who started off 2026 racing in Meydan, doing more travelling before the end of the year.

He added: "He started training at the end December so he has been in full training during the winter in order to run in Dubai in the Dubai Turf. It was the thirtieth anniversary of the Dubai World Cup so it was important he was there.

“We then let him down, and came back up to have a run at Sandown Park, where he wasn’t fully tuned up, then he has gone to Ascot. Then, with the autumn in mind, we have let him down again, and have then built him up for the Juddmonte.

“All being well we will see what the autumn, and end of year holds for him. The way it goes he will have been training on and off all year. The one thing you have got to be careful of is not going back all the time. We will see what we do at the end of the year as there is Champions Day and the Breeders’ Cup.”

Juddmonte International preview: John Gosden warns it isn't a match

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