Juddmonte’s Field Of Gold to Face Ten in 2,000 Guineas

[Wandering Eyes]

NEWMARKET, UK — Galopin Des Champs, you say? He was yesterday's news. Today, and for the next few days at least, it's all about the Guineas. And what better way to start a day bursting with warmth and shiny promise from dawn than by watching the favourite for the Betfred 2,000 Guineas stride up Warren Hill not once but twice. 

Field Of Gold (Ire), in partnership with John and Thady Gosden's talented apprentice Luke Catton, had two short, easy canters on Thursday morning. His main work is done, a lot of those finishing touches for his appearance in the Classic line-up having been made during his convincing win in the G3 Craven Stakes a fortnight ago. 

“He's tightened up from the Craven and he's woken up a bit too; he's sharp in his work,” says Thady Gosden, after keeping close tabs on the colt through his binoculars from the top of the hill. Field Of Gold's sire Kingman (GB) was once a member of the powerful Gosden string. His sole defeat in eight starts came, narrowly, in the 2,000 Guineas of 2014 when he was second to Night Of Thunder (Ire). What a vintage renewal that turned out to be, and those two old sparring partners loom large this year, with Night Of Thunder being responsible for Godolphin's 1,000 Guineas favourite Desert Flower (Ire). Kingman, of course, would go on to atone for that one reversal in spectacular fashion by rolling through the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois. Those are big shoes to fill. 

Gosden continues, “Last year as a two-year-old he was still quite unfurnished and he looked like he would mature into a lovely three-year-old, which he has done. Of course he ran fourth in the Lagardere on Arc day when the ground was a bit soft for him, but he's really matured as you want to see this year. He's a strong colt now and he has a wonderful mind. He's such a laidback character and he's not really too worried about much.”

Field Of Gold won't have to worry about finding the ground too soft on the Rowley Mile this weekend as Newmarket has not had even a hint of rain since the overnight deluge just before the Craven meeting. As Saturday's declarations closed at 10am, only 10 colts were confirmed to stand their ground against the favourite. Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is the sole Ballydoyle representative and also making the trip across the Irish Sea will be Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for Joseph O'Brien, and the Jessica Harrington-trained Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Godolphin will be represented by last season's champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Ruling Court (Justify), both trained by Charlie Appleby, and by Saaeed Bin Suroor's Tornado Alert (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). Their fellow Newmarket trainees Benevento (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko) will become the first Guineas runners for trainers Raphael Freire and James Owen respectively, both of whom were out on Warren Hill overseeing their strings as Field Of Gold was in action. 

We heard about the colourful Guineas history of Phil Cunningham in yesterday's TDN, and his Yah Mo Be There (GB) (Mohaather {GB}) carries the hopes of Richard Spencer, while Hugo Palmer, a Newmarket trainer when he won the 2,000 Guineas back in 2016, returns to his old stomping ground from Cheshire with Seagulls Eleven (Ire), a son of that winner of nine years ago, Galileo Gold (GB). 

Thady Gosden continues, “Obviously it's a very deep race. It's the Guineas and it's always going to be. There are some pretty serious contenders coming over from Ireland and also from down the road at Charlie's. They are horses with exceptional form, some of them have run already this year and some haven't. It's going to be a tough one, for sure.”

He adds of Field Of Gold, a foal purchase by Juddmonte from his breeders Bobby and Honora Donworth of Roundhill Stud, “He's got a good miling pedigree but he relaxes so well that you think that he might be able to stay further possibly. It's fantastic to have a Juddmonte-owned colt, by Kingman, back here at Newmarket for the Guineas and hopefully he can run a good race for the family.”

Harry Davies will remember the days of Hugo Palmer's Galileo Gold all too well. He may have been only 11 years old at the time, but his mother Angie Shea was a long time lieutenant at the Palmer stable and Davies was riding out there before he was even tall enough to tack up a racehorse. He's grown a bit now, and is being given the chances his talent and dedication deserve, including a first ride in the 2,000 Guineas aboard the Gredley family's Wimbledon Hawkeye. The pair finished second to Field Of Gold in the Craven.

For Davies, Newmarket born-and-bred, this is a big deal. 

“I always grew up watching the Guineas and I think I have been to every meeting since I was very young, so to have a ride is a big thing,” he admits. “It's very exciting to pick up the ride on Wimbledon Hawkeye. When I found out that I was riding him in the Craven it was very exciting and he ran a nice race to finish second. The winner is leading the market, so he's got to find three lengths on form. He feels really well. He doesn't really do that much at home, he's quite lazy in his work, but he's feeling amazing.”

 

Harry Davies, 20, has his first Classic ride | Emma Berry

 

Davies adds of the colt, who is also entered in the Derby, “The mile is probably his minimum now and at Newmarket in the Craven he probably got a little bit outpaced at one stage but stayed on well up the hill. A mile and a quarter is probably where I see him, but a mile and a half is the question that we will be asking him at some stage.”

Davies has already ridden a stakes winner for the Gredleys and Owen this season, having won the Listed Nottinghamshire Oaks aboard Ambiente Amigo (GB) ) (Postponed {Ire}) on Tuesday. He also had a taste of Epsom when winning the Blue Riband Trial for his regular stable of Simon and Ed Crisford with Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“I always wanted to be a jockey but it was apparent very early that I was getting tall, so I have had to work hard to keep my weight down. I am very lucky to be in the position I'm in, to have some good support and to have a ride in the Guineas,” he says. “It's all a little bit of a whirlwind sometimes but I'm just trying to keep my head down.”

 

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