
Field Of Gold ‘in great order' for Sussex Stakes test
Prior to those runs he has narrowly denied in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and was the winner of the Craven, a superb run of form that leads neatly into the Sussex and very much makes him the horse to beat.
'He's been a grand horse to train, he's done nothing but thrive this year,' said Gosden.
'We've been pleased with his progress all the way through.
'The Sussex is a different test of a horse. If you've ever walked the track, it's quite a surprise, it runs down into a dip, swings up and around.
'You don't want too big a field and a high draw because you are literally down the hill looking at the horses getting the shortest run round up the hill, so the draw is a big factor there if you get a large field.
'The horse is athletic, he's got great balance, and hopefully he'll handle the track well. It's very different to the round mile of Ascot or the Curragh, that's for sure.
'He's in great order, and we're looking forward to running him. It's very much the obvious race to go to for him.'
Field Of Gold could be joined by Lockinge Stakes winner Lead Artist, who proved his suitability for Goodwood when taking the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at this meeting last year and is also owned by the Juddmonte operation.
Gosden said: 'He's in great form, we'll see if he runs, no decision on that yet.
'He bowled along there last year and won in good style. We're not sure if they'll both run at this stage, we're a little far off from the race yet.'
Gosden, who trains alongside his son, Thady, will have plenty of other headline runners at the Goodwood fixture, with French Master and Sweet William both going for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
Successful in the Copper Horse Handicap at the Royal meeting, French Master will be up in trip and class, but Gosden said: 'We're hopeful he'll run a good race. He did a little breeze with Sweet William, there wasn't much between them, nicely on the bridle, looking after each other. Sweet William was a neck up, actually.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South Wales Guardian
27 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Balding: We'll work back from the Arc with Kalpana
Andrew Balding's four-year-old had run admirably in defeat in both her prior outings this term, last seen going down fighting in a titanic dual with Whirl on the Curragh last month. Returned to her favoured distance of a mile and a half, it momentarily looked like Kalpana had slipped the field when Oisin Murphy asked the Juddmonte-owned filly to quicken. However, hot on her tail was Francis-Henri Graffard's French raider Calandagan, who ensured Kalpana had to once again dip into her reserves and battle before being thwarted close home. 'I'm very proud of her, she's run her heart out again and just been beaten by a very good horse,' said Balding. 'She's done nothing wrong, had every chance, just bumped into a quick one on the day. 'It would have probably helped our cause if a bit more rain had got into the ground, but we can't complain.' For Juddmonte it was once again Graffard who proved their nemesis after Goliath denied Bluestocking 12 months ago. Ralph Beckett's filly would of course claim the Prix Vermeille and then the Arc, and hopes are high Kalpana could do the same. THE FRENCH RAIDER HAS DONE IT! 🇫🇷 CALANDAGAN WINS THE KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 Her route to the Arc could see her follow Bluestocking and head to ParisLongchamp for an early sighter in the Vermeille. But Balding could instead use another route successfully used by a Juddmonte star in the past – and search for back-to-back victories in Kempton's September Stakes, a race Enable won before downing Sea Of Class in the French capital in 2018. 'She's a class act and she's tightened up again since her two runs and come forward again, we're excited about the autumn,' added Balding. 'I would have thought that was a career-best effort and we'll be working back from Paris in October. 'She's in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she's had a hard race today and we'll work back from the Arc. 'We could head to the Vermeille, but she hasn't won a race yet this year so could go to the September Stakes without a penalty which might be an easier 'in'. 'It is likely to be one or the other and there's an extra week this year from the Vermeille to the Arc so anything is possible. 'The Kempton race she won last year and is on our doorstep and you are guaranteed the surface. But the Vermeille could be a good shot at a Group One, so we'll see.' Also given an international objective, albeit further afield, is Charlie Appleby's stable stalwart Rebel's Romance who was a luckless third in his quest to follow up Hardwicke Stakes success at Royal Ascot. Short of room at a vital stage, William Buick was forced to sit and suffer, as he repeated last year's placed effort in the race. Appleby said: 'He ran a solid race. It was a tactical race in a small field and no one would have expected the leader to be who it was (Jan Brueghel). It was very slow fractions in the first half a mile. 'We were in that pocket and with a horse that we know gallops we would have liked to have got out and got rolling. The rain earlier was nothing and that didn't settle the dust. 'He will go on his travels again now and we will point him towards the Canadian International.'


South Wales Guardian
27 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Calandagan rules supreme for France in King George
Francis-Henri Graffard's gelding was bidding to keep the trophy in the Chantilly yard after Goliath prevailed 12 months ago, with his key rival seemingly Aidan O'Brien's Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel, who had edged the Aga Khan Studs-owned four-year-old at Epsom. Calandagan was the well-backed 11-10 favourite to turn the tables and after an incredibly patient ride from Mickael Barzalona he swept through to pick off all of his rivals and pass the gallant Kalpana ahead of the line for a one-length triumph. It is the fifth time the race has been won by a horse carrying the green and red silks, with Shergar the most famous of the those winners after prevailing for the fourth Aga Khan, who died in February this year at the age of 88. THE FRENCH RAIDER HAS DONE IT! 🇫🇷 CALANDAGAN WINS THE KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 'I am so pleased for the horse, it was a competitive race,' said Graffard. 'The tactics during the race were not what I was expecting, when I saw Continuous going very steadily it was all different. 'When the filly (Kalpana) kicked on for home my horse was still travelling well, I was hoping he was going to catch her at the end. He lengthened so strongly, he's a very good horse. 'I wanted to see my horse getting into his rhythm and lengthening his stride, when I really saw him coming I started to shout. 'He won nicely again today, he's a good horse, that's two in row now in Group Ones. 'Mickael knows him very well and he has a lot confidence in the horse. You saw the ride he gave him, he had a lot of confidence and he won – we are so happy.' Future plans could include another trip to York for the Juddmonte International, in which he was second to City Of Troy last year. Graffard said: 'We'll see how he comes out of the race, but he's in the Juddmonte International and why not, I wouldn't mind going back there. I would have no problem bringing him back to 10 furlongs, but I will discuss it with the owner. 'A mile and a half is also the perfect distance for him, but he ran really strongly in the race at York last year and if he comes back really well, why avoid the race? 'We could maybe go for the Japan Cup at the end of the season, but he will have a big target somewhere.' Jubilant rider Barzalona added: 'This means a lot and it has come at the right time for me. 'It's took a bit of time to win his Group One, but now he has won two in a row and to win a King George means a lot. 'He's a lovely horse to ride and he has an engine and a beautiful action. Once he finds his rhythm he is never going to let you down and as a jockey you just need to put him in the right spot and let him do the rest. 'I was very confident I would get to Kalpana and this is a great result.'


North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Calandagan rules supreme for France in King George
Francis-Henri Graffard's gelding was bidding to keep the trophy in the Chantilly yard after Goliath prevailed 12 months ago, with his key rival seemingly Aidan O'Brien's Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel, who had edged the Aga Khan Studs-owned four-year-old at Epsom. Calandagan was the well-backed 11-10 favourite to turn the tables and after an incredibly patient ride from Mickael Barzalona he swept through to pick off all of his rivals and pass the gallant Kalpana ahead of the line for a one-length triumph. It is the fifth time the race has been won by a horse carrying the green and red silks, with Shergar the most famous of the those winners after prevailing for the fourth Aga Khan, who died in February this year at the age of 88. THE FRENCH RAIDER HAS DONE IT! 🇫🇷 CALANDAGAN WINS THE KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES! — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 'I am so pleased for the horse, it was a competitive race,' said Graffard. 'The tactics during the race were not what I was expecting, when I saw Continuous going very steadily it was all different. 'When the filly (Kalpana) kicked on for home my horse was still travelling well, I was hoping he was going to catch her at the end. He lengthened so strongly, he's a very good horse. 'I wanted to see my horse getting into his rhythm and lengthening his stride, when I really saw him coming I started to shout. 'He won nicely again today, he's a good horse, that's two in row now in Group Ones. 'Mickael knows him very well and he has a lot confidence in the horse. You saw the ride he gave him, he had a lot of confidence and he won – we are so happy.' Future plans could include another trip to York for the Juddmonte International, in which he was second to City Of Troy last year. Graffard said: 'We'll see how he comes out of the race, but he's in the Juddmonte International and why not, I wouldn't mind going back there. I would have no problem bringing him back to 10 furlongs, but I will discuss it with the owner. 'A mile and a half is also the perfect distance for him, but he ran really strongly in the race at York last year and if he comes back really well, why avoid the race? 'We could maybe go for the Japan Cup at the end of the season, but he will have a big target somewhere.' Jubilant rider Barzalona added: 'This means a lot and it has come at the right time for me. 'It's took a bit of time to win his Group One, but now he has won two in a row and to win a King George means a lot. 'He's a lovely horse to ride and he has an engine and a beautiful action. Once he finds his rhythm he is never going to let you down and as a jockey you just need to put him in the right spot and let him do the rest. 'I was very confident I would get to Kalpana and this is a great result.'