Ombudsman is the new highest-rated Flat horse in Europe with Timeform, following the successful defence of his Prince of Wales’s Stakes crown at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
John and Thady Gosden’s son of Night Of Thunder powered clear of some high-class rivals, including Arc winner Daryz, whose rating drops 1lb to 131, to win by four lengths, earning a Timeform rating of 134 (from 130).
A rise of 4lb means Ombudsman usurps French star Calandagan (133) at the head of Timeform’s top Flat horses in Europe ratings, while he rates just 3lb behind the highest-rated horse in the world, Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising (137).
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Timeform’s middle-distance handicapper, Rory King said: “It has been decided to award a rating of 134 to Ombudsman for his emphatic repeat win in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, the highest achieved by a horse in Europe since Baaeed.
“That puts him just ahead of his Champion Stakes conqueror Calandagan which required plenty of deliberation, but, on balance it’s a decision that looks justified given the time and closing sectionals of Wednesday’s success.
“What’s more, Buick appeared to have learnt from that Champion Stakes and, in a race that panned out very similarly, bided his time for longer to deploy Ombudsman’s scintillating turn of foot to best effect.
“Being ridden like that could help him turn the tables on Calandagan when they meet again, for all there’s clearly very little between those two top-class five-year-olds.”
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Simon Wilkes 
Michael Davey