Ombudsman (right) powers clear at York

Ombudsman and Trawlerman on course for York Ebor Festival assignments

Horse Racing

Wed August 05, 2026 · 9h ago

Ombudsman and Trawlerman are on track to spearhead training partnership John and Thady Gosden’s strong team for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival later this month.

Ombudsman is set to spearhead training partnership John and Thady Gosden’s team for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

On Wednesday 19 August the Godolphin-owned five-year-old will return to York to try and defend the Group 1 Juddmonte International crown he claimed 12 months ago.

Ombudsman is undefeated in 2026, having won two 1s either side of a Group 3 success.

His last outing was a superb four-length triumph in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Now the Gosdens are preparing Ombudsman for a mouthwatering clash with Prix du Jockey Club and Coral Eclipse star Constitution River in the £1.5m feature race of the four-day Festival.

Clarehaven Stables joint-trainer John Gosden said: “His year started very early – he was training in late December, January, February in order to run in the Dubai Turf at the end of March. He had what you might call a winter-spring campaign.

“We backed off a little, came back, ran in the Brigadier Gerard as a prep into Ascot. Then the plan was always to back away again, give him time between races. They need to be let down, freshened a bit and come back.”

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With two weeks to go until the big race, it’s so far so good regarding Ombudsman’s preparations.

Gosden said: “We're building up his programme now. But he's a horse who's got a wonderful mind, good constitution. So he enjoys his training without being flamboyant.

“On the other hand, he's not resentful about anything he has to do. He goes out, enjoys it, comes back and does his work. To that extent, he's a pleasure to train.

“We've obviously got some more important work to do. But he doesn't need hard, hard work or anything like that.

“He travels well on the bridle and we've been planning this all year from a long way out.”

Just as he did in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Devil’s Advocate is scheduled to perform pacemaking duties for Ombudsman.

Gosden confirmed: “Yes, I think so. And I'm sure Aidan (O‘Brien) will have others in there for Constitution River.

“You saw the pace they went in the Eclipse, let alone the Prix du Jockey Club. So, there's going to be no holds barred, that's for sure.”

Ombudsman’s stablemate Trawlerman could also bid for repeat York glory. He triumphed on the Knavesmire in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup a year ago and remains a very classy campaigner, being aimed at the longest race of the week, on Friday.

The evergreen eight-year-old only just went down to Scandinavia in an epic Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, then last week was beaten by the same rival in the Goodwood Cup.

Gosden said: “He had an interesting ride around the Sussex Downs – the loose horse early interfering and then coming across. But he seems in good order from the race.

“And we would very much be inclined at the moment to be considering going for the Lonsdale. It's a race he's won before, a lovely race at a great meeting.”

Trawlerman beats stablemate Sweet William in the Lonsdale Cup

Tattersalls Musidora Stakes winner Legacy Link holds an entry in the Yorkshire Oaks, the feature of Thursday.

Subsequent to her York success, she ran a blinder as runner-up to Thundering On in the Epsom Oaks and then finished mid-division in the Ribblesdale Stakes.

Gosden said: “She's in good form. She, like everybody in this country right now, let alone the farmers in the Vale of York, would very much like to see some rain. So to that extent, we'll see how it goes. But we're pleased with her.”

The Gosdens’ star-packed stables is also set to be represented in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes. Superior Choice, who scored in Listed company at Hamilton last month, will be asked to step up in trip and class when he tackles the £250,000 Group 2.

Gosden said: “He’d be pointing towards the Voltigeur. He's still a horse on the up, still learning.

“I wouldn't see him being much beyond that trip – I think the mile and a half will probably wind up being the top end of his range.”

The four-day Sky Bet Ebor Festival runs from Wednesday 19 August to Saturday 22 August.

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