Field Of Gold tops 12 seeking Irish Guineas crown
John and Thady Gosden's colt came with a wet sail in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but could not catch Ruling Court.
It was confirmed on Monday that multiple Irish champion jockey Colin Keane will take the ride this weekend.
Field Of Gold is owned by Juddmonte, who have an incredibly strong hand in the Classic with Harry Charlton's unbeaten Cosmic Year and possibly Windlord lining up.
Aidan O'Brien has saddled 12 winners of the race, with Churchill (2017) and Paddington (2023) triumphing in the last 10 years.
He could field Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer, along with Expanded, Serengeti and Trinity College. But Twain, a Group One winner last year who missed Newmarket following a dirty scope, has not been supplemented.
Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell, a late scratch from the French Guineas due to quickening ground, is set to make his seasonal reappearance, while Rashabar, second to Jonquil in the Greenham, is on target for Brian Meehan.
Scorthy Champ, seventh at Newmarket, Donnacha O'Brien's Commanche Brave and Paddy Twomey's Currawood complete the list of possibles.
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Glasgow Times
43 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Fallon expecting big performance from Desert Flower
The Irishman mastered the Classics on the famous Downs seven times – claiming four Oaks – during his highly decorated career in the saddle and is now a key component of Charlie Appleby's backroom team at Moulton Paddocks. An unbeaten daughter of Night Of Thunder, Desert Flower has left Fallon spellbound. He said: 'If the filly was running in the Derby I would think she would be very competitive, I would be wanting to back her. Kieren Fallon expects Desert Flower will take all the beating in the Oaks (David Davies for The Jockey Club) 'I think the Oaks is a foregone conclusion and she ticks all the boxes. She settles and will switch off nicely and she will be fine over the trip and she will go on any ground. 'She's the nicest filly I've seen in a long time and I thought she would maybe even be good enough to beat the colts.' Few have ridden Epsom better than Fallon, who has the likes of Oath (Derby, 1995) and Kris Kin (Derby, 2003) on his roll of honour, while in 2004 he did the Epsom double by landing the Oaks on Ed Dunlop's Ouija Board before following up 24 hours later aboard Sir Michael Stoute's North Light in the Derby. This is an achievement that awaits Appleby and Godolphin's number one pilot William Buick should both Desert Flower and his Derby mount, 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court, succeed this weekend. However, while Fallon is steadfast in his belief in Desert Flower, he is wary of the challenge Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle team presents to the Classic-winning son of Justify in Epsom's showpiece event as he puts his stamina to the test. Like Desert Flower, Ruling Court is bidding for a Classic double after winning the 2000 Guineas (David Davies for The Jockey Club) 'I think the Derby is an open race really,' added Fallon. 'Maybe it's best to stick with Ryan Moore and the draw for Delacroix (in 14) doesn't really matter if the horse is good enough. 'Ruling Court has lots of speed and won the best trial, but will he stay? I think Delacroix is guaranteed to stay whereas Ruling Court isn't. He's a horse with a lot of speed, but if there is a bit of cut in the ground it might not be ideal. 'Aidan has a great record in the race and you have to respect that, but it would be a very nice double if Charlie could do it.'
Glasgow Times
43 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Beckett hoping he might just reach the ‘summit' this weekend
Beckett has only had four runners in the premier Classic, coming closest with Westover three years ago. However, he has won the Oaks twice, with Look Here and Talent. His yard is now one of the biggest in the country and while he is well represented in all three Group Ones at Epsom this weekend, he is unequivocal when asked which race he would like to win above all others. 'I was asked by a member of the French press if the Arc was the race I'd wanted to win above all else and my response was 'behind the Derby only' and I stand by that,' said Beckett. Pride Of Arras was a very impressive winner of the Dante (Mike Egerton/PA) 'I think if you are an Englishman and you train racehorses, the Derby is, and hopefully always will be, the summit. Few people get to do it and if it ever came off it will be more than I ever could have hoped for when I set off training, that's for sure.' Pride Of Arras won the Dante Stakes at York and remains unbeaten in two starts to date, with Beckett not too worried about a lack of experience. 'Inevitably it is a concern, but given how he went round York, I know it's a flat track but everything else is a test, and how well balanced he is, it is not a primary concern – but I could be wrong!' said Beckett on a media call organised by the Jockey Club. 'I'm not going into it with that as a concern, but we'll find out on Saturday.' Stanhope Gardens was just beaten by Derby favourite Delacroix last year (Nigel French/PA) Stanhope Gardens has not had a traditional preparation, as though he pushed Derby favourite Delacroix close in the Autumn Stakes, this season the only suitable race Beckett could find was over a mile in a conditions race at Salisbury. He said: 'The two have had very different preps. If I'd had a conventional prep with Stanhope Gardens I'd hope they'd be a bit closer in the betting. 'Bookmakers are rarely wrong, so I think it's likely they'll finish in that order, but I never thought Talent would finish in front of Secret Gesture in the Oaks in 2013. 'If Ruling Court and Delacroix both stay we'll all have to go a bit, but it's a question of whether they both will. 'It's the same every year with people saying 'I think he'll stay', but we never know until they try. I think that's the biggest single factor, whether those at the head of the market get home.' In recent years the Derby has been dominated by Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore. But Beckett thinks the loss of super-sire Galileo may bring about a change to the race's complexion. 'It's not daunting taking on Coolmore and Godolphin. Whatever happens it's great to be there with two of the front seven in the betting,' he said. 'The sport relies on horses coming out of anywhere and Coolmore's domination of the Derby hasn't necessarily done the race any favours in the wider sense. 'We all applaud what Aidan and Coolmore achieve, but the fact Galileo and Montjeu aren't here might just change the dynamic of the race and that has got to be great for the sport.' At the draw on Wednesday, however, Beckett was done no favours by former champion jockey Willie Carson when he drew stall 16 for Pride Of Arras and two for Stanhope Gardens, from which no Derby winners have so far emerged. Beckett said: 'I can't worry about it because I can't do anything about it. Westover was drawn in two and there'd been no winners out of there and my heart sank when I read that. 'I wasn't aware there'd been no winners out of 16. The Great Gatsby was second from 16 a while back (2003). That would concern me less than two.'
Glasgow Times
43 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Buick backing Desert Flower to bloom in quest for Oaks glory
It has been a sublime start to the summer for the Moulton Paddocks handler and his number one rider, and after picking up both Classics at Newmarket last month the pair now head to the Surrey Downs with an exceptional chance to continue their hot streak in racing's crown jewel events. The unbeaten Desert Flower has carried all before her in her career to date and now steps up in trip, with Buick confident her versatility will aid her bid to not only stay the trip but become the first filly since Love in 2020 to complete the Newmarket/Epsom double. ALL-THE-WAY! Desert Flower takes the @Betfred 1000 Guineas in ASTONISHING style 🏇💨 — Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 4, 2025 Buick, who will team up with 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in Saturday's Derby, said of his Oaks mount: 'I think she's tactically very versatile, but as she's only run over a mile you would have to ride her slightly accordingly. But I do think she's very versatile – each time I've ridden her she has adapted to the race scenario. 'We could have kept her at a mile, it was put across the table as a plan, but we all felt she would get further. Whether that is a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half, we will see on Friday.' Saeed Bin Suroor's Elwateen was fourth to Desert Flower on just her second start in the 1000 Guineas and the Newmarket handler could celebrate the 30th anniversary of Lammtarra's Derby success in style, as like her Rowley Mile conqueror she puts her stamina to the test. Bin Suroor said: 'She ran a really good race in the Guineas and she came out of that well. To finish fourth in the Guineas on just her second run after winning her maiden was very good. Saeed bin Suroor heads to Epsom with high hopes (Joe Giddens/PA) 'This is her first run over a mile and half, but she should stay because she is nice and relaxed. 'I think Epsom will suit her, she's a nice size and if she settles in the first half of the race I think she'll stay. The further she goes the better I think. She's a very nice filly and I think she'll run well.' Aidan O'Brien has won the showpiece event 10 times and saddles a host of trial winners in search of number 11. Ryan Moore has plumped for Cheshire Oaks scorer Minnie Hauk from the Ballydoyle trio, as she bids to become the first filly since Enable to follow up success on the Roodee at Epsom. Minnie Hauk – who was purchased for €1,850,000 in 2023 – takes the Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks under Ryan Moore! 🏅 It's a ninth win in the race for Aidan O'Brien… — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 7, 2025 O'Brien said: 'Minnie Hauk was just ready to start in Chester, we had to try to get a run into her somewhere before the Oaks and that suited perfectly. We knew it wouldn't be too demanding on her and she would have learned plenty. 'She's a lovely filly with a good nature, a good traveller and has a good stride to her. She shows plenty of pace in her work in her half-speeds.' The master of Ballydoyle will also be represented by Giselle and Whirl, who tuned up for duty with wins at Lingfield and in York's Musidora Stakes respectively. O'Brien continued: 'Giselle got very keen through the winter and spring and wanted to do too much so we didn't get to do an awful lot with her – it was all about relaxing her. Giselle impressed at Lingfield (John Walton/PA) 'If we were going to the Oaks she had to run and Lingfield was about the only place she could. She was probably very underdone fitness-wise in Lingfield, we were just hoping to get her started and go from there, so we were delighted with the way she won and she's come forward a lot since then we think. 'Whirl is a very straightforward filly and Ryan was very happy to make the running on her in York. A filly came up either side of her, but that was no problem to her, she's got a lovely mind and she got the mile and a quarter very well and looked like a filly that could get further.' Ralph Beckett has fond memories of the Oaks and having linked up with owner-breeder Julian Richmond-Watson when opening his Classic account with Look Here in 2008, the pair join forces again with Nottingham winner Revoir, who will attempt to reverse recent Newbury form with Ed Walker's Qilin Queen. Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway and John and Thady Gosden's Go Go Boots – representing American celebrity chef Bobby Flay – complete the field of nine.
