Last year’s winner Ombudsman, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz and multiple Group One scorer Minnie Hauk are all among nine confirmations for Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Not only are the big three all set to line up in the day two feature, but Andrew Balding’s Kalpana, who reserves her best for Ascot, and Ed Walker’s Almaqam, who made a top-level breakthrough in Ireland recently, are also in contention following the confirmation stage.

John and Thady Gosden’s Ombudsman has already won the Dubai Turf and Brigadier Gerard Stakes in 2026 and is aiming to became the first repeat winner of this race since Muhtarram in 1994-95 – who was also trained by John Gosden.

“He has mentally progressed a great deal and developed well with his racing. He’s now very professional. You saw at Sandown, he settled throughout the race, and in the home straight, when William (Buick) asked him, he was always doing enough,” Thady Gosden told Tattersalls.

“We’d always thought a lot of him. He showed a good amount and progressed well through his three-year-old campaign, but there were always question marks about stepping up to Group One company. But he duly delivered in good style and he is the horse he is now.

“He’s currently rated 128 and he’s a multiple Group One winner, of course here, and across the world in Dubai.

“He ran in the Dubai Turf first time out this season, a wonderful race to win. He then came back, had a bit of a freshen up and ran in the Brigadier Gerard again, beating a good horse in Gethin.

“He’s been well set and goes to the Prince of Wales’s in good form. It looks like a very hot race this year, with Daryz, the Arc winner from last year, running.”

Ombudsman will need to be on his A-game given how good Daryz has looked in winning successive Group Ones in France this spring, while Minnie Hauk showed her adaptability when winning the Mooresbridge Stakes over 10 furlongs first time out, but then disappointed in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Almaqam might need some rain to be seen at his best but finally delivered at the highest level in Ireland, while Kalpana simply loves it at Ascot, winning twice on Champions Day and finishing second to Calandagan in the King George.

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