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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Where was Kate Middleton at Royal Ascot? Insider spills tea
Kate Middleton's arrival during the Royal Procession has become the scuttling subject of the Royal Enclosure, as Royal Ascot racegoers wonder where she is. Guests were eagerly expecting to see her by Prince William's side, especially since it was such a huge day for the couple. William was set to present the trophy for the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and close friends had been invited to join them in their box for the occasion. Among those present were property developer Thomas van Straubenzee, godfather to Princess Charlotte and his wife Lucy, who teaches at the London school once attended by Charlotte and Prince George. Also in attendance were James Meade, one of William's longtime friends from Eton, and Sam Waley-Cohen, a Grand National-winning jockey and close friend credited with helping reunite William and Kate during their brief split back in 2007. ALSO READ| Prince William makes solo appearance at Royal Ascot after Kate Middleton pulls out last minute | Photos Excitement grew around noon when Ascot officially listed Kate in the second carriage alongside William, golfer Justin Rose, and his wife, Kate. But, just 22 minutes later, an updated list was posted with the Princess of Wales' name missing. Instead, William was bumped to the first carriage alongside King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Prince Saud bin Khalid al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. Still, William seemed upbeat, and the presence of Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, and her sister-in-law, Alizée Thevenet, reassured many that her absence wasn't cause for alarm. Insiders told Daily Mail that Kate was 'disappointed' to miss the day, adding she's working 'to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements.' A palace source explained that 'an inaccurate version of the carriage list was issued in error' after the palace had already informed Ascot that Catherine wouldn't be attending. 'The correct list was then circulated,' they clarified to the Daily Mail. Notably, last year, the Ministry of Defence prematurely announced Catherine's attendance at a Trooping the Colour rehearsal without palace approval. ALSO READ| Kate Middleton shines in cream as she joins William, King and Queen at Garter Day after cancer treatment: Photos 'Catherine knows she should not overdo things. She is grateful that her recovery has gone well, but things have not been plain sailing. She had a busy day at Trooping the Colour at the weekend and, if she's feeling slightly under the weather, it's better that she takes it easy,' one of Kate's friends told the British outlet.
New Paper
21 hours ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Ombudsman lays down the law in Prince of Wales
ASCOT Father-and-son training duo John and Thady Gosden celebrated a big-race double on Day 2 of Royal Ascot on June 18 with Ombudsman landing the £1.06 million (S$1.83 million) Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes (2,000m). The feat came one day after their superstar Field Of Gold destroyed his rivals in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes (1,600m) on the first day of the five-day meeting. Ombudsman's jockey William Buick held his nerve when looking for a gap through a wall of horses as the race reached its climax. However, the Norway-born jockey found a way round and then stormed clear to give the Gosden stable a sixth win in the race. Having endured a tough time, Buick, 36, released his pent-up emotion, punching the air in delight as he steered the $42 outsider past the post. "It has been a difficult few days," said Buick. "I have got a little bit of experience, so I try and stay level. "I have a lot of good rides. You look forward right?" John Gosden, for whom it was a 70th Royal Ascot winner, said Buick had been "patient and rewarded". Earlier the Gosdens had enjoyed a record-extending sixth win in the £225,000 Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes (1,600m). Top Australia-based New Zealand jockey James McDonald swooped to win on Crimson Advocate ($38). "Absolutely delighted, pleasure to ride a winner for the group (the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing for whom it was their third winner of this year's edition)," said McDonald, recording his fifth Royal Ascot winner. "I am very lucky to be jogging on the right spot at the right time. "Even when you do not have a fancied horse in a race here it is a very special, elegant and graceful place to ride at." Earlier, Aidan O'Brien ticked off one of the rare races missing from his win list, True Love winning the opening £150,000 Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes (1,000m) in fine style. It was the 55-year-old Irish master trainer's 93rd Royal Ascot winner, English multiple-champion jockey Ryan Moore's 87th. AFP
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Gosdens celebrate Ascot double as Buick motors home on Ombudsman
Father and son training partnership John and Thady Gosden celebrated a big race double on the second day of Royal Ascot on Wednesday with Ombudsman landing the Group One Prince of Wales's Stakes. The Royal Procession was marked by the absence of Catherine, Princess of Wales, but had a literary flavour, with two giants of the written word William Boyd and Robert Harris in the cortege along with their wives. The day's racing provided as many exciting finishes as the climaxes to their best selling books. Ombudsman's jockey William Buick held his nerve when he tried to find an opening as the race reached its climax, blocked by a wall of horses. However, the Norway-born jockey found a way round and then stormed clear to give the Gosden stable a sixth win in the race. Buick, 36, having had a tough time released his pent up emotion, punching the air in delight as he passed the post. 'It has been a difficult few days,' said Buick. 'I have got a little bit of experience so I try and stay level, I have a lot of good rides. 'You look forward right?' John Gosden, for whom it was a 70th Royal Ascot winner, said Buick had been 'patient and rewarded'. Earlier the Gosdens had enjoyed a record-extending sixth win in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes. Australia-based New Zealander jockey James McDonald swooped to win on Crimson Advocate. 'Absolutely delighted, pleasure to ride a winner for the group (the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing for whom it was their third winner of this year's edition),' said MacDonald, recording his fifth Royal Ascot winner. 'I am very lucky to be jogging on the right spot at the right time. 'Even when you do not have a fancied horse in a race here it is a very special, elegant and graceful place to ride.' Earlier Aidan O'Brien ticked off one of the rare races missing from his win list, True Love winning the opening Queen Mary Stakes in fine style. Her victory franked the form book as she had finished second to Gstaad previously -- he had won the Coventry for O'Brien on Tuesday. It was the 55-year-old Irishman's 93rd Royal Ascot winner, jockey Ryan Moore's 87th. An old familiar face popped up for the race, former French wunderkind trainer Patrick Biancone who had trained back-to-back Arc de Triomphe winners by the time he was 32. Now a fresh looking 73 and based in California he did not leave disappointed as his heavily-backed runner Lennilu finished third. 'We are happy, she is only a baby, she fought all the way,' said the gravelly-voiced Biancone. There was a sad post-script as Harry's Girl had to be put down after suffering a fatal injury during the race -- putting a dampener on trainer Richard Hannon's meeting after a win on Tuesday. Carmers provided Irish trainer Paddy Twomey with a win in the Group Two Queen's Vase with his first ever winner at the meeting, a second win for jockey Billy Lee this week. For owner Fiona Carmichael it was an emotional victory as the horse is named after her late husband. 'This is all fairly new to me,' said Carmichael, who also bred the winner. 'I am living the dream. What happens further down the line gives me something to look forward to as he could run in the St Leger.' Lee, who rare for a flat jockey has also ridden winners at Cheltenham and Aintree in the past eight months, said he was a very lucky man. 'There are plenty of good lads based in Ireland who do not get the chance like myself and Colin Keane.' It's been three years since trainer Charlie Appleby cracked open the champagne in terms of a Royal Ascot winner, and he had to hide his disappointment as favourite Cinderella's Dream finished second. He at least takes a percentage of the prizemony as compensation, there is no such safety net for the punter who piled on £20,000 ($27,000) to win. Agencies
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Ombudsman shows star quality with sizzling Prince of Wales's display
Ombudsman displayed a devastating change of gear to run out a brilliant winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. Successful on each of his first four starts last season, including a Group Three win in France, John and Thady Gosden's colt met with defeat for the first time when second to Almaqam on his return to action in last month's Brigadier Gerard at Sandown. The Godolphin-owned four-year-old faced a further hike in class for this Group One feature, but after being settled well off the strong early pace by William Buick, he engaged overdrive once in the clear halfway up the straight and readily picked off the gallant Anmaat to win by two lengths going away. See The Fire was third, another two and a half lengths behind the 7-1 winner, but Aidan O'Brien's Los Angeles, the 13-8 favourite, faded into fifth place. WOW! OMBUDSMAN THROUGH TRAFFIC TO WIN THE PRINCE OF WALES'S STAKES! #ROYALASCOT — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2025 Gosden senior, celebrating his 70th Royal Ascot winner, said: 'He's a special horse and it's just a question of an owner giving you the time to let them mature and get there. 'He's got a turn of foot and he (Buick) knew it, it was a matter of getting out, but I did notice when he finally got daylight there was a furlong to go.' He went on: 'It's a question of, when you get to the straight, whether you get the luck. He wasn't in a position where he could swing round the field, it was more of a case of waiting for the gap. 'He was very patient. I knew when there was a gap at the furlong pole that this horse has an extraordinary turn of foot – he was patient and he was rewarded. 'When we bought him he was an immature horse, he didn't run as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old we brought him on and then put him away. He's horse who is now properly grown and developed as a four-year-old. 'He's a mile-and-a-quarter horse, he's got a wonderful turn of foot as you saw and I think we'll play to that strength. As far as I'm concerned he's done nothing but grow in stature. 'He is a horse that because he hasn't over-raced this year, he could be a horse you could look at the Eclipse. 'That wouldn't be my choice (to run him against Field Of Gold).' Thady Gosden added: 'When William found a gap he asked him to go through it and he was very quick. 'The Eclipse looks like the natural step to take. It was a top-class field today, it was the most elite field of the week as it often is and he showed what he was capable of there. 'It wasn't a huge field but it was highly elite, as you'd expect at this meeting. He certainly came up good.' Buick was noticeably jubilant on passing the line, after an opening day that had seen high-profile reverses for Notable Speech and Ruling Court. He said: 'This place tames lions. It's so special to win here because it's so tough, everyone comes here in great form and everyone is doing their very best of course. 'They went a hard gallop. I was always going to have to ride for a bit of luck and he quickened instantly. I thought he was impressive. 'I think that was a taste of what's to come for sure. He's got low miles on the clock, he's an exciting horse.'
The 42
2 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Ombudsman has all the answers in Prince of Wales's Stakes with O'Brien's favourite fifth
OMBUDSMAN DISPLAYED A devastating change of gear to run out a brilliant winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. Successful on each of his first four starts last season, including a Group Three win in France, John and Thady Gosden's colt met with defeat for the first time when second to Almaqam on his return to action in last month's Brigadier Gerard at Sandown. The Godolphin-owned four-year-old faced a further hike in class for this Group One feature, but after being settled well off the strong early pace by William Buick, he engaged overdrive once in the clear halfway up the straight and readily picked off the gallant Anmaat to win by two lengths going away. See The Fire was third, another two and a half lengths behind the 7-1 winner, but Aidan O'Brien's Los Angeles, the 13-8 favourite, faded into fifth place. Gosden senior, celebrating his 70th Royal Ascot winner, said: 'He's a special horse and it's just a question of an owner giving you the time to let them mature and get there. 'He's got a turn of foot and he (Buick) knew it, it was a matter of getting out, but I did notice when he finally got daylight there was a furlong to go.' He went on: 'It's a question of, when you get to the straight, whether you get the luck. He wasn't in a position where he could swing round the field, it was more of a case of waiting for the gap. Advertisement 'He was very patient. I knew when there was a gap at the furlong pole that this horse has an extraordinary turn of foot – he was patient and he was rewarded. 'When we bought him he was an immature horse, he didn't run as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old we brought him on and then put him away. He's horse who is now properly grown and developed as a four-year-old. 'He's a mile-and-a-quarter horse, he's got a wonderful turn of foot as you saw and I think we'll play to that strength. As far as I'm concerned he's done nothing but grow in stature. The Prince of Wales presents a commemorative saddle blanket to trainer John Gosden following his 70th win. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'He is a horse that because he hasn't over-raced this year, he could be a horse you could look at the Eclipse. 'That wouldn't be my choice (to run him against Field Of Gold).' Thady Gosden added: 'When William found a gap he asked him to go through it and he was very quick. 'The Eclipse looks like the natural step to take. It was a top-class field today, it was the most elite field of the week as it often is and he showed what he was capable of there. 'It wasn't a huge field but it was highly elite, as you'd expect at this meeting. He certainly came up good.' William Buick with the trophy for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Buick was noticeably jubilant on passing the line, after an opening day that had seen high-profile reverses for Notable Speech and Ruling Court. He said: 'This place tames lions. It's so special to win here because it's so tough, everyone comes here in great form and everyone is doing their very best of course. 'They went a hard gallop. I was always going to have to ride for a bit of luck and he quickened instantly. I thought he was impressive. 'I think that was a taste of what's to come for sure. He's got low miles on the clock, he's an exciting horse.'
