Ombudsman turned the tables on Delacroix and did so decisively while winning the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes on Wednesday at York Racecourse in England.
Beaten a neck by his 3-year-old rival in the Eclipse Stakes last month at Sandown Park, 4-year-old Ombudsman powered home a 3 1/2-length winner of the International while giving seven pounds to Delacroix.
The International, run at about 1 5/16 miles, turned into a wild affair when Ombudsman’s pacemaker, Birr Castle, ran off to a huge lead during the middle stages and held it through midstretch. Birr Castle, in from trainer Andre Fabre in France for Ombudsman’s owner, Godolphin, held a lead of some 20 lengths with less than a half-mile remaining before finally tiring with about a quarter-mile remaining. The pack closed quickly, but only Ombudsman and Delacroix had passed the rabbit at the finish. The mare See the Fire ran a decent fourth, but Danon Decile from Japan, a well-beaten fifth, and French shipper Daryz both turned in flat performances.
Ombudsman turned in a brilliant one. Only revealed as a top-level horse earlier this year when, in his sixth start, he won the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ombudsman now rates as Europe’s leading 1 1/4-mile horse and, co-trainer John Gosden said, will be campaigned accordingly. His targets are the Irish Champion at Leopardstown and the Champion at Ascot. The International is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, and Ombudsman has automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Classic, but no mention was made of that race, for which, if all goes well, Godolphin will have the Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty. Gosden said only unusually fast ground would bring the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over 1 1/2 miles into play.
The connections of 2-year-old Gewan also made no mention of a trip to Del Mar after Gewan captured another Breeders’ Cup Challenge race Wednesday, the Acomb. Gewan turned back a stern bid from second-choice Italy, as favored Distant Storm raced too keenly during the early stages of the seven-furlong Acomb and checked in a one-paced third.
Trainer Ralph Beckett, however, did float the possibility of a trip to America for Pride of Arras, who won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur over 1 1/2 miles in his first start since being gelded. Pride of Arras raced uncompetitively in the English and Irish derbies, both won by Lambourn, who stalked the Great Voltigeur pace from second but came up empty in the final quarter-mile, fading to fifth.
Juvenile Lady Iman vs. older
Lady Iman on Friday will bid to become the first 2-year-old to win the Nunthorpe Stakes since 2007 and first 2-year-old filly to win the race since 1992. The Group 1 Nunthorpe, a five-furlong sprint that’s part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, is open to horses of any age and of either sex.
Kingsgate Native won as a 2-year-old of 2007, while Lyric Fantasy was the last juvenile filly to land the Nunthorpe. Lady Iman, trained by Ger Lyons, has won 4 of 5 starts, most recently the Group 3 Molecomb at Goodwood, and her lone defeat, a second-place finish, came in a six-furlong race. The mount of Joe Fanning, Lady Iman carries 114 pounds and gets 27 pounds from her older male rivals, 23 from leading 3-year-old hope Arizona Blaze.
Arizona Blaze, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last year, finished second of 20 going six furlongs at York in a 2-year-old race at least summer’s Ebor Festival.
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