Prince of Wales's Stakes: classy Ombudsman sparkles in Royal Ascot showdown against Daryz

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Ombudsman produced a "mind-blowing" burst of acceleration that almost had to be seen to be believed to leave two rivals of the highest order in his wake in a matter of strides and record back-to-back victories in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, which delivered on its promise as the race of the week.

There had been much discussion and debate around team tactics in the hours leading up to the Group 1 and for a moment it looked as though Devil's Advocate and Mississippi River, who were having their own private battle as pacemakers for Ombudsman and Minnie Hauk, could steal it from the front.

But it took only a matter of seconds for the complexion of the race to change completely and, having been set the perfect target, William Buick took aim at the slowing leaders, just as he did in this race last season and in the Juddmonte International, before kicking Ombudsman into top gear.

What followed brought an almighty roar from the grandstands. Racegoers here are more accustomed than most to demonstrations of equine brilliance, which have become a hallmark of the meeting, but judging by their faces, many of them were nevertheless in awe of the winner's turn of foot and the ease with which he thundered past Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz and a revitalised Minnie Hauk, who finished a well-beaten second.

"Aidan [O'Brien] had a pacemaker and we thought we'd have ours doing what we wanted to do as well, so they ended up meeting coming into the bend and they obviously agreed on the pace," said joint-trainer John Gosden, now a seven-time winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

"I thought they were going to have to go a bit to catch Devil's Advocate with a furlong to go but Ombudsman has a phenomenal turn of foot, great acceleration for a mile-and-a-quarter horse, and he just showed that class – it was quite something for him to come away from a field like that.

"Minnie Hauk ran great, so too did the Arc winner Daryz, while the horse who won in Ireland [Almaqam] might not have run his race today because he'd usually be in the shake-up, but overall I thought it was one of the great performances of Ombudsman's career. He's strong and powerful."

Ombudsman, unbeaten as a three-year-old, took his form to another level last season, winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes before finishing a narrow second to Delacroix in the Coral-Eclipse and landing a bizarre running of the Juddmonte International. After again asserting his dominance in this division, the five-year-old looks set to return to York in August.

On whether he could go to Sandown first, Gosden said: "We always watch them for a week to ten days and the horse will tell you. We know their habits, when they're right and when they're quiet. The Juddmonte International would be a major target for him and we know he likes the track."

Ombudsman runs away with the Prince Of Wales's Stakes

Ombudsman stretched clear under William BuickCredit: Edward Whitaker

The impulse after any performance considered out of the ordinary is to compare the winner to those who came before them. Ombudsman has so many tough acts to follow just within the Gosden yard, let alone further afield, but the trainer was asked how he compared to the likes of Enable, Kingman and Golden Horn.

"We're very lucky to have some wonderful owners to send us those [top-class] horses because you can't train empty boxes," added Gosden. "He's right up there now with what he's done but you're talking about Enable, who won everything. He's a lovely horse who will make a good stallion. He's got all the right things: a good mind, as well as a fabulous body and strength."

Nobody is more qualified to speak about Ombudsman's raw power than Buick and, after partnering his 40th winner at the royal meeting, he said: "He was always in control, I thought.

"The pace was good and even. I had Daryz in front of me and Minnie Hauk was ahead of him, and everyone was where they wanted to be. He just kept filling up. His performance was absolutely electric. When I asked him, he just went past them and extended to the line. He really put a stamp on the race.

"For him to put in a performance like he did is very special. He's an unbelievable horse and I feel so privileged to ride him. He can do things that very few horses can and that was mind-blowing. His turn of foot is that of a miler, but he stays ten furlongs. He's a joy to deal with. I've ridden some amazing horses but Ombudsman has an electric turn of foot and must be right up there."

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