Kieran Shoemark Loses Job as Number One Jockey to the Gosdens

[Wandering Eyes]

Kieran Shoemark has been dealt a blow with the news announced on Wednesday that John and Thady Gosden will be adopting a “best-available-rider strategy” for the foreseeable future.

It follows the criticism Shoemark received in the wake of Saturday's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where his mount, Field Of Gold, was a fast-finishing runner-up as the 15/8 favourite, with John Gosden expressing his view in the aftermath that the son of Kingman had been disadvantaged by his track position.

“The race probably wasn't run in quite the right fractions and we were sitting some way back,” he told ITV Racing. “Ruling Court has kicked and gone and we ran out of racetrack–it is as simple as that.”

Shoemark had been in his post as number one jockey to the Gosdens since Frankie Dettori relocated to America at the end of 2023, but the fallout from Field Of Gold's defeat will now see him play a reduced role at Clarehaven Stables.

Speaking to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast on Wednesday, Thady Gosden said, “Naturally, since Saturday myself and John have gone through things together and we decided that the best policy moving forward for the stable is to adopt the best-available-rider strategy.

“It's still very early in the season and there's plenty of time left to go, but we believe that's the right decision for the stable to have the best-available rider, alongside the significant number of retained riders pre-existing within the yard.”

When asked if it was the intention to keep the 29-year-old on their team of jockeys, Gosden added, “Yes, exactly. Of course, it's a best-available-rider policy and we will see how that progresses as the year goes on.”

Shoemark will be in the saddle when the stable's Queen Of Thieves lines up in Wednesday's Cheshire Oaks, but it was confirmed that alternative riding arrangements have been made for Detain and Zanzoun when they bid for Classic glory at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Colin Keane has been booked to ride Detain in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, with Christophe Soumillon taking over aboard Nell Gwyn heroine Zanzoun in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

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