Group 1 gamble emerging as reigning champ Ombudsman usurps long-time favourite Daryz ahead of Prince of Wales's showdown

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The betting for the Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20) was subject to a major shake-up on Monday with Ombudsman taking over favouritism from Daryz for the feature race at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

Last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz lost his position as market leader to Ombudsman after the high-class pair were declared in a final field of eight.

Ombudsman, who was as big as 2-1 for the Wednesday feature last week, is now the 11-8 favourite, with Daryz available at 6-4 generally and a standout 13-8 with William Hill.

The leading pair, both successful in their two starts this year, meet again after competing in last year's Juddmonte International at York when Ombudsman won impressively as Daryz finished last.

Since then, though, Daryz has taken his form to great heights, most notably in the Arc, and the ease with which he won the Prix Ganay and Prix Aga Khan IV this season suggests there is even more to come from the colt as a four-year-old.

Last month's Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam, who beat Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard last year, leads the opposition to the big two alongside last year's Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk, who was a below-par fifth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

The only absentee at the final declarations stage for the Prince of Wales's was Kalpana, with Andrew Balding confirming stablemate See The Fire for the race instead.

• Confirmed runners and riders for the Prince of Wales's Stakes on day two of Royal Ascot 

Balding had mentioned Saturday's Hardwicke Stakes (3.05) at the meeting as the long-held target for Kalpana, who returned with a Group 3 victory at Newbury last month, and she appeared in the 16 entries made on Monday. Last year's winner Rebel's Romance was missing from the Hardwicke list.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to Kalpana's owners Juddmonte, said: "Everything is good with Kalpana and she will run in the Hardwicke. She's in good form and has come on for her first start of the year."

Juddmonte and Balding hold leading chances in one of the main supporting races on Wednesday with favourite Blue Bolt featuring in a final field of 15 for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40).

Blue Bolt: Juddmonte filly heads the betting for the Duke of Cambridge StakesCredit: Getty Images

The progressive four-year-old heads the betting for the Group 2 contest at 11-4 from Friendly Soul at 5-1 after another key rival in Fallen Angel was not declared.

Catalina Delcarpio, Kon Tiki, Godspeed and Cathedral are also among the leading contenders, and with Ballydoyle without a runner in the race, Ryan Moore has been booked to ride Carolina Jetstream for Amo Racing. 

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