Redemption, karma… There's only one jockey who makes sense on Field Of Gold with Colin Keane set to be banned

The Sun

07-07-2025

REDEMPTION and karma are wonderful things not always experienced by all.
John & Thady Gosden are now likely to have the chance of putting their anger to one side and giving Kieran Shoemark the chance of redemption.
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And in doing so the handlers themselves can gain karma and peace!
None of you will be surprised I'm talking Field Of Gold, of course, who is set to run in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on July 30.
Shoemark lost the ride when he was defeated by a narrow margin in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
That came on the back of a brilliant display by both jockey and horse in the Craven Stakes, when John Gosden was keen to praise Shoemark for his efforts.
Subsequently, Colin Keane rode Field Of Gold to facile successes in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes.
But Keane is this week likely to be given a whip ban which will rule him out of the Sussex.
I'd be close to certain that owners Juddmonte would have no issue with Shoemark on top.
Why would they? The rider has a tremendous record for the outfit over the last 12 months, and of course was brilliant at Goodwood in the Nassau when Lady Bowthorpe banged in her Group 1 in 2021.
That day owner Emma Banks showed loyalty and decency. And she was rewarded in spades.
Of course I'm not totally crazy, and the chances are the Gosdens will refuse to let Shoemark do what is so obvious.
Indeed, it's more than likely Oisin Murphy will be called up to ride Field Of Gold should Keane be absent.
Rumours abounded that Murphy had, actually, been pencilled in to ride Field Of Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas before Keane was put up as the Juddmonte main man.
But I can't back that up with any substance. It might have just been a rumour.
Whatever the case, on a humane level Shoemark and Field Of Gold back together in the Sussex just seems the right way to go for all concerned.
I won't hold my breath, but come on, people, you know it makes sense.
Meanwhile… Much has already been said and written about the Coral-Eclipse since Saturday, but it will long remain one of the most insane races I have ever seen.
I spoke to more than one of the connections of Delacroix who were convinced he would be making all.
I certainly didn't hear anyone suggest Delacroix would be ridden for a turn of foot!
And of course he wasn't, for all that is what he eventually needed.
Delacroix was last turning for home. OMG!
And who has ever thought Sosie was a front-runner?
He was in the Eclipse, which was odd in the extreme. The one thing you know about French raiders is they mostly have a closing kick.
Just a bizarre race, and if you have studied his body language to any degree at numerous moments Ryan Moore looked fairly miffed with how things were going.
I wonder at what point Moore really thought – 'I might just go and win this'.
At a guess, only once Delacroix was pulled out wide and after a few strides started to get going.
But at that stage Ombudsman was clear albeit he had probably been in front for long enough.
As a form guide for the future, it's hard to say the Eclipse will be a reliable one.
But what you can say is that Delacroix must be some machine.
Looking ahead I wonder if one day he will end up in the Breeders' Cup Mile or Turf? Which one would you pick for him?
Time will tell…
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