Field Of Gold shines in the Craven Stakes

A new 2000 Guineas contender emerged for Juddmonte in yesterday's Gr.3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket as Field Of Gold (Kingman) posted a three and a half-length victory over his nearest rival, Wimbledon Hawkeye.

Taken from he Thoroughbred Daily News, 17th April 2025, by Tom Frary:

Labelled a work in progress by John Gosden as he captured the Gr.3 Solario Stakes and finished fourth in the Gr.1 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 three and a half-length success. The Gr.2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Wimbledon Hawkeye followed him home, a head in front of the Gr.2 Vintage Stakes winner Aomori City (Oasis Dream) 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's got an incredible amount of ability. He's pretty special."

Over the last week, Juddmonte colts Jonquil and Cosmic Year (Kingman) have both made a triumphant return to action to leave the team with some decisions to be made about which of the Guineas to target with which horse.

Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's racing manager, said of Field Of Gold: "It's probably a big plus that this horse has shown that he is handling Newmarket. Jonquil hasn't been here, and Cosmic Year had a gallop here at the back end of last year and he 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."

A victory in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket for Field Of Gold would complete John Gosden's set of British Classic wins. Mahon added: "He came painstakingly close with Kingman and, as John said just now, Kingman didn't do a lot when he got to the front, and Kieran said that this horse, when he gets to the front, he doesn't do a lot either, so there are a lot of similarities between them."

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. 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."