Thady Gosden believes Ombudsman will need to take another step forward should he follow up his Prince Of Wales’s Stakes triumph in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

A four-year-old son of Night Of Thunder, Ombudsman was unbeaten during his three-year-old campaign, which ended with a comprehensive success in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d'Orange at Longchamp.

After being defeated for the first time in his career on his seasonal reappearance in Sandown's Group 3 Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes by Almaqam, the Godolphin-owned colt proved he was more than capable of being involved at the top-level when overcoming trouble in running to beat Anmaat by two lengths in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Speaking on a Zoom call organised by the Jockey Club, he said: "It is a tight turnaround from Royal Ascot (17 days). We'd rather have given him a little longer, especially after running in a solid Group 1 race like he did last time.

"He has come out of Royal Ascot in very good order and only had one run beforehand this season at Sandown in the Brigadier Gerard when he was second to Almaqam. He hasn't had a hard season or really a hard career so far, so we thought why not go for this?

"The Prince Of Wales's was a very tough race with a lot of Group 1 horses in there. He is still relatively inexperienced and that was his first run in a Group 1. We always thought he had the potential to be a horse of the class he has turned out to be and we found that out on the day at Ascot.

"He had a few traffic problems at Ascot but luckily has that turn of foot that Night Of Thunder seems to give them, and he picked up really well. He has plenty of speed – he's always had it. He has improved with every start and got the mile and a quarter well last time.

"When he ran at Sandown last time in the Brigadier Gerard it was a prep for Royal Ascot and the ground was a bit on the softer side, a little bit dead. The weather this week has obviously been a little bit different! He has got that turn of foot and speed which a faster surface really allows him to show. You would be hopeful that conditions will suit him on Saturday.

Following his facile Royal Ascot triumph, bookmakers now make the John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old a general 5/4 chance to follow-up in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse, although joint-handler Thady believes he will need to take another step forward if he is to do so against the likes of Aidan O'Brien's Camille Pissaro and the expected French raider Sosie.

"The Coral-Eclipse is the first meeting of the generations. The three-year-olds look very good – you've got a French Derby winner in there and it looks an exciting race.

"You've also got Sosie, who is possibly the best middle-distance in France, coming over as well so it's a very hot renewal.

"You would say Ombudsman probably needs to improve again on Saturday"