Field of Gold claims Irish 2,000 Guineas crown to atone for British blow – after John and Thady Gosden’s prospect faltered at Newmarket

• Field of Gold won the 2,000 Guineas in the first Irish Classic of the year
• The Gosdens’ horse atoned for his failure at Newmarket in the British Guineas
• Ridden by Colin Keane, Field of the Gold lived up to his hype as the clear favourite

By DOMINIC KING

Compensation came thundering down the outside in a flash of grey brilliance. Field Of Gold was born to win a 2,000 Guineas and while this was not the one connections craved in Newmarket, it was still wildly rejoiced.

Field Of Gold went down as one of the unluckiest losers of Newmarket’s Guineas in the modern era, running out of ground as he relentlessly tried to peg back eventual winner Ruling Court. The failure to deliver ultimately cost Kieran Shoemark his job with John and Thady Gosden.

The Gosdens are now using ‘the best jockey available’ for big races; seven days earlier they had turned to Oisin Murphy for the successful spin on Lead Artist in the Boylesports Lockinge Stakes and this time they charged Colin Keane to execute the plan for them in the first Irish Classic of the year.

Keane, one of the best in the business, was never going to disappoint on a Curragh course he knows so well and there was never a second when you did not think Field Of Gold was going to trample all over his rivals. His price — evens — was a gift.

This colt stands out because he is big and imposing but he has a change of gear like his father, Kingman, who also agonisingly missed out at Newmarket in 2014 before gaining atonement at the Curragh. This particular apple has not fallen far from the tree.

Owned by Juddmonte, the leading bloodstock organisation, Field Of Gold led home another Juddmonte runner, Cosmic Year, but in reality, this was a one-horse race. His level of superiority was there for all to see, as connections felt it should have been at Newmarket three weeks earlier.

Field of Gold claimed victory at the Irish 2,000 Guineas to make up for defeat at Newmarket

The evens favourite finished first by three and three quarters of a length at the Curragh

‘I was sorry to get beaten in the British Guineas when he finished so well,’ said Gosden. ‘But to come on a plane and see something different, he’ll have learned a lot, and they grow in mentality and in stature.

‘Colin rode him beautifully. I was concerned he might over-race with no cover on the outside, but I told Colin if he relaxes on the way to the start, he should relax on the way back. When he quickened he went, and it took two or three strides and he was off.’

It would be fascinating to see what would happen if Field Of Gold and Ruling Court meet again. The latter’s rider, William Buick, watched on with interest from Haydock, where he rode a 401-1 four-timer, the highlight being Mgheera in the Temple Stakes.

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Field of Gold claims Irish 2,000 Guineas crown to atone for British blow – after John and Thady Gosden’s prospect faltered at Newmarket

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