Ombudsman waiting on the weather: Ascot or straight to the Breeders’ Cup

John Gosden confirmed that the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) winner will target the Champion Stakes (G1) on October 17 if Ascot maintains good-to-firm ground; should the rains arrive, he will bypass the fixture and travel directly to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1)

NEWMARKET, England (Special for Turf Diario).— The next move for Ombudsman will not depend on his fitness, nor on his rivals. It will depend on the sky. John Gosden intends to return the Godolphin colt to the Champion Stakes(G1) at Ascot on October 17, provided the English autumn behaves and rains do not turn the course too soft.

If heavy rains arrive, there will be no hesitation: Ombudsman will be saved directly for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), scheduled for early November at Keeneland.

The son of Night of Thunder is in outstanding condition according to Gosden, who trains in partnership with his son Thady, and keeps the door open for one last European outing before making the trip to the United States.

“He’s in great shape and, if the weather holds like this, he could perfectly well run at Ascot, though we know all too well what can happen in October,” the trainer explained on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast.

“For now it looks like it will remain quite dry over the next couple of weeks. If the weather holds, he could absolutely run at Ascot,” he added.

Ombudsman knows the 2000 meters over that course intimately, having secured some of the finest victories of his career there.

This season he captured the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) during Royal Ascot, while in last year’s Champion Stakeshe finished second to Calandagan (Gleneagles), best of the rest behind a superlative display from the French runner.

His last appearance, however, left a different taste.

Ombudsman attempted to repeat his victory in the Juddmonte International (G1) at York, but finished fourth—marking the first time in his career that he landed outside the top two. For Gosden, that performance had a very specific explanation: rain softened the going and ultimately worked against his chances.

That is why no unnecessary risks will be taken this time.

The team holds the Breeders’ Cup Turf as an alternative, and should Ascot present conditions similar to those Ombudsman encountered at York, the Champion Stakes will immediately be scratched from their plans.

“We are considering that option,” Gosden explained regarding the trip to Keeneland. “Obviously the two races are quite close to each other. If the rain comes and conditions at Ascot go in the wrong direction, then we will head straight to Keeneland.”

The proximity between both targets demands every move be carefully weighed. Running on October 17 in England and then tackling the Breeders’ Cup just a few weeks later would represent a demanding assignment, even more so for a horse that has already weathered a grueling top-level campaign.

Yet as long as the ground holds, Ascot remains an enticing target.

Ombudsman has already proven on that track how lethal he can be when encountering his preferred going. A two-time winner over the Champion Stakes course and distance and a elite mainstay over the last two seasons, he has the opportunity to sign off on his European campaign on one of the calendar’s biggest stages.

Afterward, Keeneland could follow. Or perhaps Keeneland will become the immediate destination. For now, Gosdenlooks to the skies and waits. The horse is ready; it will be the weather that ultimately decides where we see him in action next.