Field of Gold claims Irish 2,000 Guineas crown to atone for British blow - after John and Thady Gosden's prospect faltered at Newmarket
Compensation came thundering down the outside in a flash of grey brilliance. Field Of Gold was born to win a 2,000 Guineas and while this was not the one connections craved in Newmarket, it was still wildly rejoiced.
Field Of Gold went down as one of the unluckiest losers of Newmarket's Guineas in the modern era, running out of ground as he relentlessly tried to peg back eventual winner Ruling Court. The failure to deliver ultimately cost Kieran Shoemark his job with John and Thady Gosden.
The Gosdens are now using 'the best jockey available' for big races; seven days earlier they had turned to Oisin Murphy for the successful spin on Lead Artist in the Boylesports Lockinge Stakes and this time they charged Colin Keane to execute the plan for them in the first Irish Classic of the year.
Keane, one of the best in the business, was never going to disappoint on a Curragh course he knows so well and there was never a second when you did not think Field Of Gold was going to trample all over his rivals. His price — evens — was a gift.
This colt stands out because he is big and imposing but he has a change of gear like his father, Kingman, who also agonisingly missed out at Newmarket in 2014 before gaining atonement at the Curragh. This particular apple has not fallen far from the tree.
Owned by Juddmonte, the leading bloodstock organisation, Field Of Gold led home another Juddmonte runner, Cosmic Year, but in reality, this was a one-horse race. His level of superiority was there for all to see, as connections felt it should have been at Newmarket three weeks earlier.
'I was sorry to get beaten in the British Guineas when he finished so well,' said Gosden. 'But to come on a plane and see something different, he'll have learned a lot, and they grow in mentality and in stature.
'Colin rode him beautifully. I was concerned he might over-race with no cover on the outside, but I told Colin if he relaxes on the way to the start, he should relax on the way back. When he quickened he went, and it took two or three strides and he was off.'
It would be fascinating to see what would happen if Field Of Gold and Ruling Court meet again. The latter's rider, William Buick, watched on with interest from Haydock, where he rode a 401-1 four-timer, the highlight being Mgheera in the Temple Stakes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Lorenzo Musetti escapes French Open default after kicking ball at line judge
Italian No 2 Lorenzo Musetti put himself at risk of disqualification when he kicked a loose ball into the body of a line judge. Yet Musetti got away with a warning from the chair umpire – an outcome which surprised a number of observers – and then went on to defeat Frances Tiafoe to move into the French Open semi-finals. Tiafoe described the lack of action as 'comical' in his post-match press conference. 'Obviously he did that and nothing happened,' said Tiafoe. 'I think that's comical, but it is what it is. Nothing happened, so there's nothing really to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent, so it is what it is.' Meanwhile, Rennae Stubbs, the former world doubles No 1, wrote on the X: 'Musetti is VERY LUCKY to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted. I know he didn't mean it but no one does, man, this is BAD! And he's out there playing right, knowing he could easily have been in the locker room!' Lorenzo Musetti received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after this incident 😳 #RolandGarros — TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 3, 2025 The obvious point of comparison was the ejection of Novak Djokovic from his fourth-round match at the 2020 US Open for flicking a ball into the neck of a line judge. The Musetti ball probably did not travel as quickly as Djokovic's did, but the greater difference lay in where it landed, which was on the body rather than such a sensitive area as the throat. The judge in question barely seemed to notice the contact, whereas in 2020, the unfortunate Laura Clark immediately collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) Another disqualification made headlines at the French Open two years ago when Japanese doubles player Miyu Kato tried to pass a ball to a ball-girl with her racket but ended up hitting her on the head and moving her to tears. At the time, the commentator and former French Open finalist Alex Corretja said that 'it was too strict to disqualify her because it [the flight of the ball] was very slow'. Kato later described the penalty as 'unjust' but an appeal to tournament organisers was rejected. A controversial ending to a women's doubles match as Kato/Sutjiadi were disqualified for hitting a ball girl ❌ — Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) June 4, 2023 As for Musetti, he was behind in the second set at the time of Tuesday's incident, and seemed particularly irritated when Tiafoe held serve to move to a 5-3 advantage. Tiafoe could be seen pointing out the judge to the umpire, and then discussing what had happened, before the code-violation warning was eventually announced. Yet Musetti recovered his composure and began to move ahead in the match, eventually closing out a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory to earn a place in the last four. 'It's a process of growing, not just inside the court but especially off the court,' he said during his on-court interview. 'Last year I became a father. I think that gave me an extra responsibility and I now approach things in a more professional way, not just on the court in matches but in my daily routine.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Derry Girls star 'becomes latest to sign up for Celebrity Race Across the World' after Strictly couple Molly Rainford and Tyler West
A sitcom star has reportedly become the latest star to sign up for the next series of Celebrity Race Across the World. Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn has joined the line-up taking on the travel challenge on the popular BBC series, according to The Sun. The actor, 32, began his career with roles in some of the UK's biggest soaps, including The Bill, Hollyoaks and Holby City. However, it was playing only boy and Englishman James Maguire, on beloved comedy Derry Girls that saw him shoot to fame. Dylan then took on the lead role in comedian Jack Rooke's semi-autobiographical Channel 4 series Big Boys for three seasons, playing a closeted uni fresher grieving the loss of his father. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Speaking about the show to Attitude: 'Everything about it was beautiful to me. I really wanted the part and to tell Jack's story as best I could. I'm really proud to be in it.' He also starred in 2022 miniseries Pistol, playing Wally Nightingale, who formed a band with schoolmates Paul Cook and Steve Jones in 1972, but was replaced by Johnny Rotten when they transformed into the Sex Pistols. And since February 2023, Dylan has starred as PC Kelby Hartford in Beyond Paradise, a spin-off of the hit show Death In Paradise. He will allegedly be taking a break from studio sets to race across continents in the gruelling Race Across the World special, with a teammate and no mobile phones. Representatives for the show declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. The last series of the celebrity version of the series saw Kelly Brook, Scott Mills, Jeff Brazier and Kola Bokinni face off against each other as they dashed across South America. Dylan's casting for the new series could see him joined by Molly Rainford and Tyler West, who were reported to have also signed up last week. The EastEnders actress, 24, and the broadcaster, 29, who met during BBC 's Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, are said to be taking on the travel challenge together. A source told The Sun: 'Molly and Tyler are a huge coup for the show. 'They're popular with millions of viewers from their stints on Strictly, and Molly will bring in loads of EastEnders fans too. 'They are a very adventurous pair and have brilliant chemistry, so bosses are confident they will become huge fan favourites.' Last year, Molly and Tyler moved into their first home together and began sharing their home improvements journey with their followers. Alongside a clip of the couple inside their new home and in the 'Strictly' ballroom doing a clapping routine, Molly wrote on Instagram: 'Well guys, it was only right that we let you into our little home, the next part of our journey starts now @homewithmolty.' At the end of the clip, Tyler quipped: 'We've got a lot of cleaning up to do babe.' After previously denying speculation they were dating, the pair posted a TikTok with Tyler seen placing his hand on Molly's leg as they recited lines from 'Friends'. The audio they used was of Rachel Green and Joey Tribbiani telling each other they knew Monica Geller and Chandler Bing were dating in secret. The clip was captioned: 'Did you know? @MollyRainford,' with Tyler adding a red love heart and a crying with laughter emoji. Molly has played Anna Knight on EastEnders since 2023, after starting her career on the CBBC, presenting Friday Download and starring as the titular character in sci-fi series Nova Jones. While she first came to fame after getting to the finals of Britain's Got Talent in 2012 and made new fans with her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. After failing to win BGT when she was 11 years old, Simon and his record label sponsored her to go to the coveted Sylvia Young Theatre School. The prestigious London school has been a hotbed of talent for decades, producing singers including Adele, Dua Lipa, Amy Winehouse, Rita Ora, and Emma Bunton, plus actors Keeley Hawes, Nicholas Hoult and Daniel Kaluuya. Molly previously explained: 'I did Britain's Got Talent in 2012 when I was 11 years old. That definitely changed my life because after getting to the finals, I was sponsored by Sony Music and Simon Cowell to go to the Sylvia Young theatre school. From those auditions throughout school, I got into the CBBC world.' Music mogul Simon agreeing to sponsor her stage-schooling when Molly's family turned down his offer of a record deal, determined their daughter would not become a one-hit wonder. Molly voiced her gratitude to the Daily Mail in 2022, gushing: 'Simon is Mr BGT and he made that happen, I will always be grateful. It meant I could do what I love.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Jack Draper makes honest Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner admission as he opens up on disappointing fourth round exit at French Open
As the dust settled on his French Open campaign arrived, Jack Draper took stock and reflected on his standing in the tennis ecosystem. In December, relatively fresh off a breakthrough run to the US Open semi-finals, the British No1 told us his ambition for 2025 was to narrow the gap to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two greatest players in the world. At the halfway point of the season, how would Draper assess his progress? 'I still think I'm a long way behind those boys,' said the 23-year-old, who lost in the fourth round to an inspired Alexander Bublik. 'I still have lots to learn. 'My level is getting better all the time but it's not just the tennis. It's the consistency of what they're doing. It's doing it when it matters and these are the tournaments that it matters. 'I have a lot to go still to get to them. I'm working hard, I'm doing the right things, and we'll see.' Draper is clear on what it will take for him to close the gap: time. 'They've probably played double the amount of matches,' he said. 'They're a year, two years ahead of me. Achieved a lot more, a lot more experience. I have a lot to do to catch up with them, in all honesty.' Bublik was in inspired form as he caused a major upset against the Brit, who is world No 5 In terms of tour-level matches, Draper has played 162 compared to 304 and 360 for Alcaraz and Sinner respectively - that is a big gulf in experience. Draper's rise has been so steep over the last 10 months that the Bublik defeat almost feels like the first real setback, the first time the hype-train has hit a stop sign. It would be a silver lining to his fourth-round exit if, with Wimbledon shimmering on the horizon, British expectations are dampened. Draper's biggest challenge on the grass will be dealing with the pressure of being a top five seed at his home Slam. 'It will be an experience for me, for sure,' said Draper. 'I don't know what to expect. I feel confident. I feel happy. I've had a lot of experiences this year playing Australians in Australia and Frenchies in France - there's not been many places where I have the crowd with me, so that will be nice. I feel like I'm still playing amazing tennis. Let's see what I can do.' Meanwhile in Paris, the first women's semi-final was set and it is a blockbuster: Iga Swiatek will face Aryna Sabalenka at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2022 US Open. Both won in straight sets, Swiatek beating Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 and Aryna Sabalenka taking out Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng 7-6, 6-3. Swiatek leads the head to head 8-4 but Sabalenka is the world No1 and in far better form. 'I love these challenges,' said Sabalenka. 'I'm ready to leave everything I have to get the win.'
