Statistical trends point to success for Field Of Gold in Saturday’s Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, and for many, so will the evidence of their own eyes.
The Juddmonte-owned son of Kingman started a hot favourite for the Newmarket Guineas earlier this month, only to emerge an unlucky loser.
His jockey Kieran Shoemark admitted to over-confidence, such was the ease with which Field Of Gold travelled into the dip at Newmarket. However, the split seconds it took for the imposing grey colt to organise himself in the dip proved crucial.
By the time he got rolling, he’d run out of real estate and failed by half a length to overhaul Ruling Court. It cost Shoemark his job. Ireland’s champion jockey Colin Keane steps in for the ride in the same colours he won the Guineas five years ago on Siskin.
Louth have ended their Leinster title famine – can they avoid the fate that usually follows?
‘Guys are segregated at Shels v Bohs and the next morning they’re together at Na Fianna’: ‘Mossy’ Quinn adapting to new Shelbourne CEO role
Skorts-gate finally over as sanity prevails
Hurling Man shifts uneasily as football gets mysteriously entertaining
Twice in the last three years, the Newmarket runner-up has secured Guineas consolation at the Curragh. Rosallion last year and Native Trail (2022) both won at odds-on.
Perhaps the real echo from the past, though, is 2014. Field Of Gold’s sire Kingman was unluckily beaten for the only time in his brilliant career at Newmarket and subsequently sluiced up at the Curragh. He, too, was trained by John Gosden and owned by Juddmonte.
The operation moulded over decades into one of the world’s great racing enterprises by the late Prince Khalid Abdullah continues to be a big player at elite level despite the founder’s death in 2021. Their power is stamped all over Ireland’s first classic of the year.
The unbeaten Cosmic Year, another son of Kingman, would probably be the favourite himself in Field Of Gold’s absence. Juddmonte’s third runner, Windlord, is not a no-hoper either.
Jonquil’s narrow and possibly unlucky defeat in the French Guineas underlines Juddmonte’s strength in depth among top mile colts this season, but the form book still says it hasn’t resulted in a big mile classic.
Maybe desperation to avoid that is behind coming into Saturday’s contest so locked and loaded. That might even persuade some of a certain unease that Field Of Gold alone isn’t being relied on. The upshot, though, is a powerful show of strength in Coolmore’s backyard.
The Irish behemoth ran Expanded at Newmarket, and his failure there means he is discarded by Ryan Moore in favour of the Tetrarch winner Officer. Paddington used that course trial on-route to Guineas glory a couple of years ago.
Scorthy Champ also got overrun at Newmarket, but the unknown factor is last season’s Futurity winner Hotazhell. Jessica Harrington took hm out of the “Poulains” at Longchamp due to fast ground. No one will be looking at the skies more than the veteran trainer.
Oisín Murphy also won’t mind any break in the weather. The Kerry man has yet to ride a classic winner in Ireland, but in Cosmic Year, he has a colt that could thrive on a little ease in the ground.
Unbeaten in three starts to date, Cosmic Year landed a Listed contest at Newmarket last time and is a colt of considerable potential.
He kicks off a notable Group One weekend for Murphy, who also rides for Juddmonte in Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup on board the top-class Kalpana. He is also on Flight, who will attempt to go one better than her second at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas.
A lot of Juddmonte eggs are being put into the Curragh Guineas festival basket, including the leading 1000 hope Swelter. She will attempt to be a first success for the famed green and pink silks in that classic.
Over a quality weekend, though, there could be a danger in overthinking the permutations of Saturday’s big race.
It’s hard to dispute the widespread belief that the best horse in the race didn’t win the Guineas at Newmarket. Gosden’s decision to axe Shoemark spoke volumes about what he thought about it. It has opened a prime opportunity for Keane, who knows the Curragh backwards.
“I think he will be suited by the Curragh, and I would hope that is the case,” said Gosden, before pointing to tactical adaptability in his colt that’s always useful. “We could go and make the running if we are not happy with the pace. That is the alternative, so we could go that way with him if we need to.”
Saturday’s main support event, the Group Two Weatherbys Greelands, has a European debut for Australian sprinter Storm Boy. The son of Justify brings a big reputation but not Group One winning form. The tried and trusted My Mate Alfie could prove tough to beat.
Saturday’s extended nine-race card features in the Tote World Pool operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It is the first time the Guineas has been included in the lucrative co-mingle operation. Last year’s Irish Derby was the Curragh’s first nine-race card in modern times.
