'The nicest owner I’ve ever trained for': John Gosden salutes Sheikh Mohammed

As Ombudsman stormed to victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes to secure a breakthrough first win for Godolphin at this year’s Royal Ascot meeting legendary trainer John Gosden turned his praise not to the horse but to the man behind the famous ‘Royal Blue’ silks.

In a sentiment grounded in both gratitude and timing the man nicknamed ‘The Professor’ by racing fans paid tribute to Godolphin founder Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

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“Sheikh Mohammed is without doubt the nicest and easiest owner I've ever trained for,” Gosden said, moments after Godolphin’s four-year-old colt secured a landmark win. “He says, ‘Do what we think is right.’ I never get pushed. This horse wouldn’t be the horse he is without that kind of patience.”

For a stable that had watched Notable Speech and Ruling Court fall flat on opening day and Cinderella's Dream finish second earlier in the afternoon, it seemed like Godolphin's Ascot luck had run dry — until Ombudsman dramatically turned the tide.

Held back early under a patient ride from Godolphin’s Derby-winning rider William Buick, the striking four-year-old son of Guineas hero Night of Thunder was delivered with deadly precision in the straight, sweeping past Shadwell’s Anmaat, the mount of former British champion jockey Jim Crowley, to win by a comfortable two lengths.

The victory marked Godolphin’s first win of Royal Ascot 2025, their 58th overall, and a sixth success in the Prince of Wales’s Stake, a mile-and-a-quarter test that was first run in 1862. Ombudsman joined a storied roll call of past winners that includes Faithful Son (1998), Dubai Millennium (2000), Fantastic Light (2001) Grandera (2002), and Rewilding (2011).

Over the years, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes has been a magnet for Dubai-based success — from Stagecraft in Sheikh Mohammed’s own colours in 1991 to Mostahdaf for Shadwell just two years ago.

Shadwell was created by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the former Deputy Ruler of Dubai who also saw his colours carried to victory on four occasions with Muhtarram (1994-95), Nayef (2003) while his brother Major General Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police, won the race back-to-back in 1987-1988 with Motot. Dubai businessman Saeed Suhail also claimed the prize in 2018 with Poet’s Word.

Ombudsman’s victory was also a much-needed confidence boost for Buick, who had yet to get off the mark this week.

“It was a case of waiting for the gap - and this horse has an extraordinary turn of foot,” said Gosden.

Ombudsman, now a winner of five from six starts, had finished second to Almaqam in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown just a month ago. But the leap to Group 1 company was always in the plan, and that plan was patiently nurtured, not forced.

“It’s just a question of an owner giving you the time to let them mature and get there,” Gosden said.

It also underscored the success of Godolphin’s strategy to work with multiple elite trainers, with John and Thady Gosden delivering the breakthrough that had eluded Charlie Appleby’s runners this week. It was also vindication of Sheikh Mohammed’s vision.