Eleven years ago the talented Kingman avenged his 2,000 Guineas defeat by Night Of Thunder when the pair met at Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes. Today it was the turn of Kingman’s son Field Of Gold to repeat the exact same feat, turning the tables on his Newmarket conqueror Ruling Court in emphatic fashion.
Field Of Gold was considered by many to be an unlucky loser of the 2,000 Guineas after Ruling Court had stolen the initiative and the race by pushing on going into Newmarket’s famous dip. He’d given further credence to that opinion when winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the end of May and was a strongly backed 8/11 favourite to follow up here.
Since Newmarket, perhaps because of Newmarket, there had been a jockey change for Field Of Gold after Keiran Shoemark was sidelined by trainer John Gosden in favour of Colin Keane who took the ride on the horse at the Curragh. Following that win Keane was announced as retained jockey for the Juddmonte operation, owners of Field Of Gold and he was on board once again in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
In the race Keane held up Field Of Gold towards the back with only chief market rival Henri Matisse, who had won the French 2,000 Guineas, behind him. As they swung into the straight Field Of Gold loomed up on the outside of the early pacesetters and once Keane gave him an inch of rein it was all over and he streaked clear to win by three and a half lengths.
Henri Matisse followed him home best of the rest with Ruling Court, who was struggling some way from home, a further three and three quarter lengths back in third.
Jockey Keane was quick to state that Field Of Gold was the ‘best I’ve ever sat on’ before giving thanks for the opportunities his new job has put into his path, “I’m in a very privileged position. I’ve been lucky enough to join this team. It is a very new relationship and to get a horse like him so early on is amazing.”
As always in racing, thoughts quickly turned to where we might see Field Of Gold next but trainer John Gosden was quick to throw doubt on any ideas that the colt may be stepped up in distance for the Eclipse Stakes. “Maybe we’ll freshen him up and go to the Sussex Stakes. I think if he hadn’t run in Ireland I would have probably been keen to go to the Eclipse, but I don’t want to push him.”
It would be another nod to his sire if Field Of Gold did turn up at Goodwood for the Sussex Stakes as that is where Gosden sent Kingman after Ascot. Can history repeat again? The racing world will be eagerly waiting to find out.
Punters eager to back Field Of Gold in his next Group 1 test can compare odds and markets at the best betting sites Australia has to offer.
