Ombudsman Determined in Brigadier Gerard Victory

Ombudsman (IRE) warmed up for Royal Ascot next month in winning fashion in the May 28 Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3), but was forced to pull out all the stops to hold off Gethin (IRE) in a thrilling finish. The John and Thady Gosden-trained star was a brilliant winner of the Dubai Turf (G1T) in March and made a winning return Thursday evening at Sandown Park in Britain. Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, he battled hard to fend off Gethin by a neck and defy a 7-pound penalty. Winning rider William Buick said: "It's a lot to carry 7 pounds, but he's a proper group 1 horse. He had to give that to genuine stakes performers and he came here with improvement left him." Godolphin's Ombudsman was left unchanged at 5-2 with Paddy Power to retain his Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) title next month at Royal Ascot. It could be a blockbuster clash, with 2025 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Daryz (FR) and Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) hero Almaqam (GB) on course for that contest. John Gosden said: "He's more professional now as he doesn't waste any energy—he's like an old boxer. The mile-and-a-quarter races are pretty obvious for where he'll be going. We'll go to Ascot and then on from there. "It should be a fabulous race with Daryz coming over from France. It's what the game is about, top-quality horses meeting in those events. It could just be the race of the meeting."