By Tom Frary
Juddmonte's Classic team seemingly grows with each passing day and each trial and Wednesday's G3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket followed the same pattern as a new 2,000 Guineas favourite emerged for then operation in Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Labelled a work in progress by John Gosden as he captured the G3 Solario Stakes and finished fourth in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last term, the TDN Rising Star travelled like a dream throughout this established course-and-distance trial with Kieran Shoemark able to pick his path.
Unleashed passing the furlong pole, the 100-30 favourite surged up the rise to the line for an emphatic 3 1/2-length success. The G2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko) followed him home, a head in front of the G2 Vintage Stakes winner Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) as last year's key pattern-race form held up. Shoemark was blown away. “He got me out of trouble, but I had so much horse underneath me,” he said. “He's got an incredible amount of ability. He's pretty special.”
Field Of Gold is now in the hot seat to complete John Gosden's set of British Classic wins on the first Saturday in May. “John came painstakingly close with Kingman and, as he said just now, he didn't do a lot when he got to the front and Kieran said that this horse doesn't do a lot when he hits the front either, so there are a lot of similarities between them,” Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said.
This followed the successes of the operation's Classic contenders Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Cosmic Year (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in recent days and while connections have an enviable quandary in placing the trio, it would be a surprise if Field Of Gold was not representing them in the 2,000 Guineas. “It's probably a big plus that this horse has shown that he is handling Newmarket,” Mahon added. “Jonquil hasn't been here, while Cosmic Year had a gallop here at the back end of last year and handled the track well. I think we'll sit down in a week's time with the owners and see what the ground is going to be like and see what the owners want to do–that's what's most important.”
“I'd like to think we probably wouldn't run more than two, but you've Ireland and there's France–there is more than one Guineas,” he added. “If the races pan out and we can separate them then we will, but I'm sure we wouldn't be afraid of running two.”
Gosden Sr was impressed. “He showed a lot of speed today. I probably haven't had a colt win a Guineas trial like that before, he did it in splendid style,” he said. “I think he'll get a mile and a quarter, I don't seem him getting a mile and a half. One day he might be good enough to run in a race like the Eclipse, we'll see. I see him more on that trajectory.”
Impressive
Could provide John Gosden with his first 2,000 Guineas winner?
He's blown them away in the Craven Stakes.@bet365 | @JuddmonteFarms | @thadygosden pic.twitter.com/WwVu20uXtM
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 16, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Field Of Gold's dam Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal), who is also responsible for the Listed Rosemary Stakes winner Zanbaq (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is a full-sister to the dual Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed sire Puissance De Lune (Ire) and the G2 Middleton Stakes scorer Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal). She is also a half to the G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Zabeel Prince (Ire) by Shamardal's son Lope De Vega (Ire) and to the dam of the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine and stakes producer Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Kingman's fellow TDN Rising Star Summer Romance (Ire) who was successful in the G2 Balanchine and G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and runner-up in the GI Just A Game Stakes and GI Diana Stakes.
The third dam Serena's Sister (Rahy), as her name suggests, is a full-sibling of the multiple Grade I-winning matriarch and champion Serena's Song whose progeny were headed by Storm Cat's GII Oaklawn Handicap-winning sire Grand Reward and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine Sophisticat. Princess De Lune's yearling filly is by Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN STAKES-G3, £85,000, Newmarket, 4-16, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:39.26, gd.
1–FIELD OF GOLD (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Princess De Lune (Ire), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Serena's Sister, by Rahy
(€530,000 Wlg '22 GOFNO1). O-Juddmonte; B-Roundhill Stud (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Kieran Shoemark. £48,204. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, $151,170. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB), 128, c, 3, Kameko–Eva Maria (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). O-The Gredley Family; B-Stetchworth & Middle Park Studs Ltd (GB); T-James Owen. £18,275.
3–Aomori City (Fr), 128, c, 3, Oasis Dream (GB)–Setsuko (Fr), by Shamardal. (€260,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG). O-Godolphin; B-SCEA Haras De Saint Pair & Ecurie Peregrine SAS (FR); T-Charlie Appleby. £9,146.
Margins: 3HF, HD, HF. Odds: 3.30, 3.50, 9.00.
Also Ran: Benevento (Ire), New Century (GB), Opera Ballo (Ire), The Waco Kid (Ire), Matauri Bay (Ire), The Watcher (Ire).
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