Ombudsman provided another famous success in the blue silks of Godolphin at the 30th Dubai World Cup meeting as he showed his undoubted quality in the G1 Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World.
Trainer John Gosden, now a joint licence holder with son Thady, had secured three consecutive victories in this 1800m showdown with Lord North between 2021 and 2023 and this time around he decided to unleash one of the very best performers from last year’s European Flat season.
William Buick was content to settle the winner of last year’s Prince Of Wales’s and International Stakes towards the outside and in the middle of the small field as Japanese challenger Gaia Force set the pace.
Ombudsman was unleashed with 300m left and was quickly in full control, finishing just under two lengths ahead of Quddwah and Andreas Vesalius. Representing HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s racing operation, it was a moment not lost on the rest of the happy connections.
William Buick said: “Congratulations Dubai. We have some beautiful racing, it’s a pleasure to be part of and Ombudsman showed there, first run of the year, what he can do. It was how we hoped it would happen, very smooth and, look, he’s going to have a very exciting year ahead.
“It’s an honour for me to ride for Godolphin and His Highness. Dubai World Cup night is the biggest night in horse racing so to represent His Highness on his best horses and to have winners is a dream come true.”
John Gosden said: “It’s a great sense of relief. It’s not easy coming out of a winter in England, bringing a horse in ready to run. I think he’ll come on for the race, he was probably coming in here at 90 per cent but it was enough to get the job done. I thought William was wise, he said I’ll give the ground away, go wide, lose the ground there but I want a clear run in the straight. Absolutely thrilled with him.
“I was here for the first one [World Cup], Allen Paulson flying in Cigar, Bill Mott, Jerry Bailey. It’s been a great run through and some credit to put this on. It’s quite thrilling to be here tonight.
“We’ll see how he get on the rest of the year, he’ll got to Royal Ascot now for the Prince Of Wales’s and from there we’ll know where we go.”
Ed Crisford said of Quddwah: “This sort of style of racing he really enjoys, being tucked in and not an end-to-end gallop. He had a dream run up the rail, finished well and Ombudsman is obviously a fantastic horse as he showed last year.
“He’s a nice horse that can be winning some good races. I think he can win a Group 1 – he’s been knocking on the door. He just needs the right sort of track and the right style of racing and I think he can do it.”
Result
1st – #1 OMBUDSMAN (IRE)
Jockey: William Buick
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
2nd – #3 Quddwah (GB) – 1.91L
3rd – #9 Andreas Vesalius (IRE) – 2.16L
4th – #7 Make Me King (FR) – 3.33L
5th – #8 Dividend (GB) – 3.77L
6th – #2 Gaia Force (JPN) – 3.95L
7th – #5 Facteur Cheval (IRE) – 4.69L
8th – #11 Tumbler (FR) – 5.68L
9th – #6 Fort George (GB) – 6.23L
10th – #10 Folk Festival (IRE) – 6.85L
11th – #4 Elnajmm (GB) – 9.51L
