Gosdens lament Field Of Gold's lacklustre Sussex run

Powys County Times

3 days ago

John and Thady Gosden made no excuses for Field Of Gold after he was well-beaten in a renewal of the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood that few could have foreseen.
The Juddmonte-owned grey was the 1-3 favourite as he came into the race having won both Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes this season, so was bidding for a Group One hat-trick with a new rider in the saddle as William Buick replaced the suspended Colin Keane.
Juddmonte's second-string, the Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat, was the mount of Richard Kingscote and employed as a pacemaker, albeit a useful one, as was Aidan O'Brien's Serengeti, who looked set to lead stablemate Henri Matisse into the race.
Those two did indeed settle into the lead, but as the race developed it became apparent that the favourite could not close the gap and he finished an eventual fourth when three and three-quarter lengths behind 150-1 winner Qirat.
John Gosden told ITV Racing: 'He's done nothing wrong and actually the other pacemaker (Serengeti) got left (at the start), he comes round and finally they are going a pace. We are sitting a long way behind, that's life and the pacemaker goes and wins it.
'If you let them have those fractions they will do it, he ran on but he didn't seem to be balanced on the track, it's a different type of track to what he has ever run on and he just got a little unbalanced coming out of the dip into the bend. I'm not making any excuses, you ignore the pacemaker and pay the price.
'He ran a huge race in the Guineas (when runner-up at Newmarket) and was flying at the finish, but he was not flying at the finish so there's a very big difference. He wasn't at his best so we will have to see why. He is having a normal blow so we will have a good look.
'William said as soon as he asked him the engine wasn't there, simple as that. He would have run on to be up there with Rosallion, but he didn't fire today.'
Thady Gosden added: 'Congratulations to Ralph and Juddmonte of course for winning, but obviously it was a messy race and I think we can put a line through it.
'We saw he quickened up well but it was too late on, Rosallion was in a good position in front of us and he didn't quite get there as they'd got a bit of rope in front.
'Hopefully he comes out of it OK, we know how talented he is and today wasn't a true reflection of his ability. We'll move on.
'We could see what was unfolding for us a mile out, but obviously it is great for Juddmonte to have a home bred winner.'
Richard Hannon's 11-2 shot Rosallion was the runner-up under Sean Levey, beaten a neck after giving chase to the runaway Qirat.
Hannon said: 'It's pride, not frustration, but what does he have to do to win?
'Sean did the right thing and moved closer to the pacemakers, and he's run a super race but didn't win. It's life, isn't it?
'He's a great horse, his day has already come and there are other days to come. He's certainly not done with.
'He's beaten the best three-year-old we've seen for years and also the French Guineas winner (Henri Matisse).
'It's not a great day when you are second in these races but we are very lucky to be part of it. We have an extremely good horse and he went down fighting.'
Henri Matisse, also an 11-2 chance, was third under Ryan Moore when beaten two and a half lengths, with stablemate Serengeti eventually last of the seven runners.
O'Brien said: 'Obviously (Serengeti) was there to make sure it was an even gallop and he missed the break, so Wayne (Lordan) had to let him relax and give him a chance.
'He came round the field wide and then when he joined up with the other pacemaker, the winner, he pulled back off and so Wayne was left making the running, but well done to everyone.
'We are very happy with Henri Matisse. We think we haven't got him really right yet, but we think we are getting there. Every time he runs we are learning more, and we were happy with him here other than he didn't win, obviously.
'Sean's (Levey) horse (Rosallion) just came down the outside of him and took a couple of lengths out of him quickly, Ryan just said that coming down the hill at Goodwood it just took him a little time to get organised as he's a baby three-year-old. He felt he wasn't finished with and there's more to come.
'We think he's a miler, but Ryan thinks he'll stay further. We'll see how he is but he could go back to France for the mile races and could end up in America for their mile races, or he could go up in trip, although we've never thought he was short of pace.'