By Tom Frary
Perhaps unlucky in Newmarket's 2,000 Guineas, Juddmonte's Field Of Gold was in a class of his own in Saturday's Tattersalls-sponsored Irish equivalent at The Curragh. More at home on this conventional galloping track, the even-money favourite never looked in any semblance of trouble travelling kindly for Colin Keane despite being trapped wide without cover.
Sent forward approaching two out, the son of Kingman demonstrated his superior acceleration to settle the issue quickly. Forging clear with a typically dynamic closing quarter, the Clarehaven supremo was chased home by Cosmic Year at a respectable 3 3/4-length margin to make it a one-two for the operation and sire. Ireland's best proved to be the returning G1 Futurity Trophy winner Hotazhell, 3/4 of a length away in third.
John Gosden was relieved to make up for the Newmarket disappointment with the winner, who was emulating his sire's feat 11 years ago. “He had to come back here to win, because this is his home turf,” he said. “He's right up there with his father, I think he's as good as his father right now. The Irish Guineas is on a very fair track and I wanted to come here and prove he was a Classic winner, so it was very important.”
What a race!!
Field of Gold @JuddmonteFarms wins the @Tattersalls1766 Irish 2000 Guineas in great style against a tough field at @curraghrace
Now with a magnificent ride!! pic.twitter.com/Dk9954dsfT— Manu (@_ElManu) May 24, 2025
Field Of Gold's juvenile campaign was promising, but few would have predicted such a transformation from the colt who failed to dazzle when winning Sandown's G3 Solario Stakes and who was fourth in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. His performance in the G3 Craven Stakes catapulted him forward in the rankings and his defeat in the Guineas only served to enhance his reputation, but this was another move forward from the grey.
Gosden thinks there is more to come. “To get on a plane and come here and see something different, he would have learned a lot from this,” he added. “They grow in stature and in mentality. In truth, I was concerned he might over-race with no cover on the outside, but I told Colin if he relaxes going down he should relax coming back and he rode him just right. He takes two or three strides and he's off.”
A date at Royal Ascot now beckons for Field Of Gold, with the G1 St James's Palace Stakes there for the taking as it was for Kingman in 2014. “It's good, solid form, it was a proper race, as good as the English Guineas. Let's hope the owners want to go to Ascot and have a look at the St James's Palace there. Prince Saud is keen to go a mile and a quarter, but we'll hang on a little.”
Keane said, “When he went through the line like that, that was as good a feeling as I've got off a horse for a long time. Just so straightforward and powerful to sit on. Kieran [Shoemark] said he used to be keen and fresh last year. He has done a marvellous job getting him to relax, to be fair now. I've just stepped in for today.”
Pedigree Notes
Shamardal's Princess De Lune, who has also produced the Listed Rosemary Stakes winner Zanbaq by Oasis Dream, is a full-sister to the dual Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1-placed sire Puissance De Lune and the G2 Middleton Stakes scorer Queen Power. She is also kin to the G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Zabeel Prince by Shamardal's son Lope De Vega and to the dam of Iffraaj's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine and Stakes producer Rizeena and Kingman's fellow TDN Rising Star Summer Romance 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, as her name suggests, is a full-sibling of Rahy's 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.
Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 5-24, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:36.58, 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
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€530,000 Wlg '22 GOFNO1). O-Juddmonte; B-Roundhill Stud; T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Colin Keane. €290,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW & G1SP-Eng, 7-4-1-1, $630,514. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cosmic Year (GB), 128, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Passage Of Time (GB), by Dansili (GB).
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd; T-Harry Charlton. €100,000.
3–Hotazhell (GB), 128, c, 3, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Azenzar (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (70,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT; 200,000gns 2yo '24 TATBRE). O-Silverton Hill Partnership; B-Blue Diamond Stud Farm (UK) Ltd; T-Jessica Harrington. €50,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: Evens, 4.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Rashabar (Ire), Comanche Brave (Ire), Scorthy Champ (Ire), Officer (Ire), Windlord (GB), Expanded (Ire).
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