ombudsman

Electric dual G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes hero Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) is now the highest-rated Flat horse in Europe with a ranking of 134, according to Timeform. The Godolphin runner dominated Wednesday's Prince Of Wales Stakes by four lengths over multiple Group 1 winner Minnie Hauk (Frankel). John and Thady Gosden's son of Night Of Thunder powered clear of some high-class rivals, including Arc winner Daryz (Sea The Stars), whose rating dropped one pound to 131 pounds. Previously, Ombudsman was rated 130 pounds, but thanks to his Prince Of...

A daughter's wedding day ought to be one of the proudest moments of a father's life, and for James Hanly, the Greek wedding of his daughter Rosanna last year was indeed such an occasion, even if it meant that he missed what may then have felt like the pinnacle of his achievements as a breeder. But sometimes the racing gods are a friendly bunch and, twelve months on, they convened to grant Hanly a second chance, much to the relief of Rosanna. Watching on as Ombudsman was led back in...

A contentious G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes is in the cards at Royal Ascot next week, as nine horses have stood their ground, among them John and Thady Gosden trainee Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder). Successful in this race last term, the Godolphin colt faces G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz (Sea The Stars) and multiple Group 1 scorer Minnie Hauk (Frankel) among others. Ascot's dual G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana (Study Of Man) is back, as is fellow top-level scorer Almaqam (Lope De Vega)....

Thursday, Sandown, post time: 19:12, THE STAR SPORTS BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES-G3, £95,000, 4yo/up, 9f 209yT Field: Ombudsman (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Almeric (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Arabian Light (Kingman), Bedouin Prince (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Gethin (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko). TDN Analysis: Not razor-sharp and burdened with a seven-pound penalty, Ombudsman could be vulnerable again here as he was 12 months ago, but there is no Almaqam in the line-up so he might just get away with it. Almeric's progession seems to have halted and he...

Thursday, Sandown, post time: 19:12, THE STAR SPORTS BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES-G3, £95,000, 4yo/up, 9f 209yT Field: Ombudsman (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Almeric (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Arabian Light (Kingman), Bedouin Prince (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Gethin (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko). TDN Analysis: Not razor-sharp and burdened with a seven-pound penalty, Ombudsman could be vulnerable again here as he was 12 months ago, but there is no Almaqam in the line-up so he might just get away with it. Almeric's progession seems to have halted and he...

There was much to absorb over the last weekend and, significantly for the tier of horseracing which prompts so much fan engagement, the two best horses in Europe both returned victorious in Dubai. Calandagan (Gleneagles) and Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), first and second in last year's Qipco Champion Stakes and just two pounds apart in the 2025 Longines World Rankings, each put down an important marker for the season ahead, in the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf respectively. And, yes, perhaps one can argue that there wasn't the usual...

A model of consistency in Europe's premier middle-distance races throughout 2025, Godolphin's Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) teed himself up perfectly for another productive campaign when making light of a five-month absence to run out a smooth winner of Saturday's $5-million G1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World at Meydan. Bettered only by Calandagan (Gleneagles) when last seen filling the runner-up spot in a vintage edition of the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot back in October, Ombudsman faced nothing of that calibre in this 1,800-metre contest and duly proved himself a...

By Emma Berry and Tom Frary Whatever your preference, as long as you are a fan of the Flat, there is something to whet your whistle this weekend. From early this Saturday morning there is top-class fare to entertain us. Have your alarm set for Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) and Vauban (Galiway) in the G1 Tancred Stakes at Rosehill, where 4,800,000-guinea Yulong purchase Barnavara (Calyx) also makes her return in the G2 Neville Selwood Stakes. For those with the stamina of a Gold Cup contender, the GI Florida Derby...

Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) will break from stall 6 under Ryusei Sakai in a field of nine for Saturday's $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who drew the gate number during the post-position ceremony at Meydan Racecourse on Wednesday morning, said, "I wanted middle to outer, so I'm pleased." Last year, Forever Young could manage only third in the Dubai World Cup behind Hit Show (Candy Ride), who is drawn alongside Forever Young in gate 5 as he tries...

Charlie Appleby's Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) will skip an intended start in the G1 Dubai Turf at the end of March and instead will be pointed to a summer campaign. The Racing Post first reported the news. The winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta earlier this year, the son of Ghaiyyath was set to face fellow Godolphin runner and Group 1 winner Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the contest. Appleby told the publication, "Opera Ballo is in good shape but I don't think a full field of 14 runners going around...

With a rating of 130, the Aga Khan Studs homebred Calandagan has been crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2025, ahead of five horses from four different countries who all tied for second on a rating of 128. At a ceremony to mark the Longines Racing Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on Tuesday, it was confirmed that the performance of Calandagan when winning October's G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot was the best produced by any racehorse on the planet last year. The son of Gleneagles - who also...

Aga Khan homebred Calandagan (Gleneagles) triumphed in the G1 Champion Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day and is now rated the best horse in the world in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Rated 130 from 125, the gelding defeated G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes/G1 International Stakes hero Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) (128), group winner Almaqam (Lope De Vega) (122) and G1 Eclipse Stakes victor Delacroix (Dubawi) (126) last month. The G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud both went his way...