The Coral-Eclipse at Sandown was meant to be a crowning moment for Ombudsman, the horse hailed as the world’s best after his stunning Prince of Wales’s Stakes victory at Royal Ascot. With an official rating of 128, no other horse could touch him, and punters backed him heavily, driving his odds from 13-8 to evens. The stage was set for a £1 million triumph, but what unfolded was a race that left legendary trainer John Gosden in a tense exchange with jockey William Buick, sparking whispers of discontent among racing fans.
Ombudsman, trained by John and Thady Gosden for Godolphin, entered the Group 1 clash as the 6-4 favourite. His Ascot performance, where he unleashed a devastating turn of foot, had bookmakers bracing for a payout. Yet, the race defied expectations. Gosden had warned it could get “messy” with a small field, and his prediction proved eerily accurate. Delacroix, ridden by Ryan Moore, executed a masterful strategy, dropping to the back early before surging past Ombudsman in the final strides to claim the £567,000 prize. The defeat was a gut-punch for the Gosden camp, and the aftermath saw a moment that had spectators buzzing.
As the dust settled at Sandown, all eyes turned to Gosden and Buick. Their post-race conversation appeared anything but celebratory. Punters watching closely noted Buick’s body language, with one observer remarking that the jockey seemed to be defending his ride. The exchange fueled speculation: was Gosden unhappy with Buick’s tactics? Ombudsman had been trapped wide, unable to dictate the pace as planned, and Delacroix’s late charge capitalized on the chaos. For a trainer known for his meticulous preparation, the outcome was a bitter pill to swallow.
Despite the tension, Gosden remained gracious in defeat when speaking to the media. He acknowledged the race’s unpredictability, noting that Delacroix and the French horse Sosie flipped the expected script. Small fields, he explained, often lead to scrambled tactics, and this was no exception. Ombudsman’s effort was far from lackluster—he fought to the front in the final furlong, only to be outstayed by a horse and rider at the top of their game. Gosden praised the winner, admitting Delacroix was simply the better horse on the day. Yet, the sting of coming so close to another Group 1 glory was undeniable.
Buick, too, has a storied history with Ombudsman. Their partnership shone at Royal Ascot, where Buick’s patience allowed the colt to surge through a wall of horses for a thrilling victory. That day, the jockey’s skill was unquestioned, navigating tight pockets to unleash Ombudsman’s “extraordinary turn of foot,” as Gosden called it. At Sandown, however, the same magic eluded them. Buick’s decision to push forward from a wide position left Ombudsman exposed, and Moore’s calculated ride on Delacroix stole the show. For fans, the question lingered: could Buick have done more to secure the win?
The Coral-Eclipse defeat doesn’t diminish Ombudsman’s brilliance. His Ascot triumph, where he outclassed Group 1 rivals like Anmaat and Los Angeles, cemented his status as a global star. Thady Gosden, speaking before the race, expressed confidence in the colt’s condition, noting his light campaign left him fresh for the challenge. The loss at Sandown, while disappointing, sets the stage for future battles. A rematch with Ed Walker’s Almaqam, who bested Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, could be on the horizon at the International Stakes in York or the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
For now, the racing world is abuzz with the drama of Gosden and Buick’s tense moment. Was it a fleeting frustration or a sign of deeper concerns? Fans on social media are dissecting every angle, from Buick’s ride to Gosden’s guarded comments. The beauty of racing lies in these high-stakes moments, where every decision is scrutinized, and every outcome fuels debate. As Ombudsman prepares for his next run, one thing is certain: the Gosden-Buick partnership will be under the microscope, and their quest for redemption will keep fans glued to the track.
