John and Thady Gosden sent out Field Of Gold to win Solario Stakes © Photo Healy Racing
Field Of Gold provided John and Thady Gosden with a notable winner when confirming the promise of his maiden victory in the Sky Bet Solario Stakes at Sandown.
In what has been a difficult season to date for the Clarehaven trainers and their jockey Kieran Shoemark, they now appear to have a real prospect for the major autumn juvenile contests and big races next year.
Field Of Gold’s sire Kingman won the Group Three contest for John Gosden in 2013, with the grey’s success a seventh overall for the handler and a second in partnership with his son, following Reach For The Moon in 2021.
Royal Playwright attempted to make all but Shoemark always looked confident and Field Of Gold took two lengths out of the field when asked to go on.
To his credit Matauri Bay closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 5-4 favourite, but never looked like getting on terms.
“He’s obviously progressed and he’s had a nice break since his last run,” said Thady Gosden.
“As you saw he quickened up nicely, they didn’t go much of a gallop early on, and once he hit the front he was having a good look around. He’s a horse with plenty of class.
“He’s benefitted for his nice break since winning his maiden and looking at him there today, he has still got plenty of depth to him and he still has to fill out a bit. He’s done much of that today on natural ability. It was a deep field on their performances before and hopefully he will keep on improving.
“There is plenty of scope for improvement next year and like his sire, he has a fantastic mind which will help him develop.
“There’s two big races at the end of the season, the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Dewhurst Stakes, and we will talk to the owners and see where we go next. He’s won a Group Three today, but he won in a style where that could be his next step.
“It’s what it’s all about, having horses that could progress from two to three, and he’s a horse with plenty of class and we’re looking forward to him.”
Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, would be favouring the French option at this stage.
He said: “He’s a big horse and he’s going to be better as he strengthens and will hopefully make a better three-year-old.
“He will have no problem staying a mile and I think we will look at the Jean-Luc Lagardere next, at this stage that looks an obvious plan. The two-year-olds have been exciting this year and in general we have a good bunch led by Babouche in Ireland who is a Group One winner, so it’s an exciting time.”
Field Of Gold is now a 16-1 shot with Coral for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with Matauri Bay available at odds of 20-1 with the same firm.
The pair could yet clash again this term, with trainer Ralph Beckett also looking to ParisLongchamp on October 6.
He said: “I thought he was a little green around the bend and Hector (Crouch, jockey) thought they slowed it down between the four and the three (furlong poles) and that has perhaps cost us because he couldn’t get out and then he was a little green when he did get out.
“He made up plenty of ground in the last furlong and I thought it was a pretty good effort.
“We will think about the Lagardere and all of those Group One races. He’s not a big horse so we will be getting on with it this year.
“He moved like a horse who will appreciate a bit of juice in the ground and Sandown is a great place to bring a horse who needs a bit of give. I think if it does start raining next month, we will be using that angle as well.”
