William Buick after riding Ombudsman to win The Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse on August 20, 2025 in York, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)placeholder image
William Buick after riding Ombudsman to win The Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse on August 20, 2025 in York, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Ombudsman eventually came out on top in an exciting renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
The 7-4 favourite was ridden by William Buick, pictured, for John and Thady Gosden, with the fellow Godolphin-owned runner Birr Castle sent out to make the running as a rank outsider in the field of six.
The latter horse was afforded an enormous lead and as he rounded the turn for home it looked quite possible that the chasing pack would not catch him, but as he tired, Ombudsman was gaining ground.
He eventually swept through to grab the lead and while Delacroix also made late gains, Ombudsman emerged a three-and-a-half-length winner.
William Buick riding Ombudsman (R, blue) win The Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse on August 20, 2025 in York. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)placeholder image
William Buick riding Ombudsman (R, blue) win The Juddmonte International Stakes at York Racecourse on August 20, 2025 in York. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Birr Castle was transferred to the Gosdens to make the running at York and John Gosden said: “(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.”
Earlier, Pride Of Arras made a brilliant return to the scene of his finest hour to claim a Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes as dual Derby hero Lambourn misfired.
An impressive winner of the Dante on the Knavesmire earlier in the season, Ralph Beckett’s charge has proven no match for Aidan O’Brien’s Lambourn in both the Derby and Irish equivalent earlier in the season.
Sent off 12-1 in his first outing since being gelded, Rossa Ryan was in no rush as the 4-5 favourite Lambourn was immediately gunned to the front by Ryan Moore to keep close tabs on stablemate Thrice who was undertaking pacemaking duties.
However, unlike in his two Classic triumphs, Lambourn was unable to shrug off his rivals and with the pack swarming, it was Pride Of Arras who hit top gear up at the right time up the long home straight to return a length verdict over Paddy Twomey’s previously unbeaten Carmers.
Lambourn ended up a well-held fifth, with William Haggas’ Arabian Force another to stay on from the rear to take third ahead of Ballydoyle’s Stay True.
Gewan was a game winner of the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes for Andrew Balding and PJ McDonald.