Juddmonte International Stakes
Group 1, York 15:35
£1,250,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
1m 2f 56y, Class 1   
Wednesday 20th August 2025

1 Ombudsman 7/4F
2 Delacroix 9/4
3 Birr Castle 150/1
6 ran Distances: 3½l, ½l, ¾l
Time: 2m 7.90s (fast by 0.40s)

In a renewal that unfolded like a chess match on turf, it was Ombudsman who ultimately delivered the decisive move—swooping late to claim a commanding three-and-a-half-length victory, while Birr Castle, the sacrificial pawn, very nearly stole the crown.

Sent off the 7-4 favourite under William Buick, Ombudsman carried the hopes of John and Thady Gosden and the Godolphin blue. But it was stablemate Birr Castle, a rank outsider, who lit the fuse—sent out to make the running and given a licence to stretch the field to breaking point.

As the six-runner field rounded the home bend, Birr Castle held a yawning advantage, and for a moment, the impossible looked plausible. The chasing pack hesitated. The clock ticked. And then Ombudsman ignited.

Buick pressed the button, and the response was electric. From second gear to fifth in a heartbeat, Ombudsman surged past the fading leader, with Delacroix rallying late but unable to match strides. Birr Castle, heroic in defeat, clung on for third.

John Gosden, ever the tactician, offered a wry smile and a nod to his French counterpart:

“(Trainer) Andre Fabre said the horse was in top form and ‘I hope he does a good job for you John, I would like you to have the same result as in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (when the pacemaker won)’! I said ‘OK Andre, I will do my best to make sure he goes a nice, even pace’. I thought with two furlongs to run Andre had won the race! You don’t often see that, he’s run a huge race to be third. I did say to William that if he’d sat four lengths off the pacemaker he’d have won by 10 lengths but there we go. What happened was the Japanese jockey was with Rab (Havlin on Birr Castle) but then he kept taking back and let Rab slip the field. Past the two marker, he was still six lengths in front. William said when he let him (Ombudsman) go, he absolutely flew and went from second gear to fifth gear in the blink of an eye.”

The victory avenged a narrow Eclipse defeat to Delacroix, a race Gosden felt lacked rhythm and clarity:

“The Eclipse was a muddling race and we’ll leave it at that. Full marks to Delacroix, but in an evenly-run race we were the superior horse today. This is a great win but I did think for a moment Andre would be the lucky man.”

Now a dual Group One winner from just eight starts, Ombudsman continues to rise through the ranks, his trainer already plotting the next move on the international stage.

“He had a little problem as a baby and we never raced him at two and he came along gradually. He’s getting better and better, has trained well and was unbeaten last year. His only defeat this year was in the muddling Eclipse and he’s a proper horse. The two obvious races for him are the Irish Champion and Ascot for Champions Day. It will be Sheikh Mohammed’s decision if he stays in training but he is a sportsman. William thinks he’ll stay a mile and a half but I think why change things? Were he to go for the Arc, we’d need one of the rare occasions with a fast-ground Arc – which do happen occasionally.”

A race that began with a runaway pacemaker ended with a statement of class. Ombudsman may have needed the right tempo, but when it came, he didn’t just win—he roared.

BoyleSports

Juddmonte International Stakes
(Group 1) (British Champions Series)
£1,250,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 1m 2f 56y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (5)    Ombudsman 4 9-8 John & Thady Gosden William Buick 7/4F
2 (3) 3½ Delacroix 3 9-1 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 9/4
3 (6) ½ Birr Castle 5 9-8 A Fabre Robert Havlin 150/1
4 (2) ¾ See The Fire 4 9-5 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 7/1
5 (4) 5 Danon Decile 4 9-8 Shogo Yasuda Keita Tosaki 7/2
6 (1) 2½ Daryz 3 9-1 F-H Graffard Mickael Barzalona 14/1