Field Of Gold

Kalpana is likely to kick off her campaign in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup later this month after a dirty scope ruled the four-year-old out of her intended return to action in Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York. Trained by Andrew Balding for Juddmonte, Kalpana was last seen winning the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, looking a contender for further top honours in 2025 as she handed out a comprehensive two-length beating to her 13 rivals. Her connections had...

Juddmonte's group winner Zanzoun has been withdrawn from the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after sustaining a setback in morning training, according to racing manager Barry Mahon. "She was a little off after exercise this morning, John and Thady called to say after she cantered they weren't happy with her and she looked a little tight behind," said Mahon. "When you are not in peak condition, you can't be heading off to the races, so we will have to sit and wait and diagnose whether it is muscular or something...

Hong Kong's star sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) has moved up the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings to sit in a joint second at 126, after the latest round of rankings were released on Thursday. Now a winner of 12-straight after his victory in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, he shares that mark with fellow Hong Kong wunderkind Romantic Warrior (Acclamation). Japan's Forever Young (Real Steel) remains the leader at 127. After the first Classics of the season, G1 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court (Justify) is among the top 10...

Kieran Shoemark has been dealt a blow with the news announced on Wednesday that John and Thady Gosden will be adopting a "best-available-rider strategy" for the foreseeable future. It follows the criticism Shoemark received in the wake of Saturday's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where his mount, Field Of Gold, was a fast-finishing runner-up as the 15/8 favourite, with John Gosden expressing his view in the aftermath that the son of Kingman had been disadvantaged by his track position. "The race probably wasn't run in quite the right fractions and we...

The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars), a stylish winner of the G3 Acomb Stakes in 2024, leads the 42 remaining G1 Betfred Derby entries following the latest scratching stage. One of 16 Irish-trained runners, he is trading at 100-30 on Betfred for the June 7 showpiece at Epsom. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the bay has a slew of stablemates entered, including Wootton Bassett Group -winning colts Twain--third choice at 7-1 and a winner of the G1 Criterium International, Swagman, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse, and G1...

Flying the flag for Justify in Saturday's G1 Betfred 2,000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket, Ruling Court proved William Buick's judgement to be spot-on as he provided Charlie Appleby with a third renewal in four years. Selected by Godolphin's number one over the 2-year-old champion Shadow Of Light, the 9-2 second favourite travelled notably strongly held up towards the stand's side and when delivered to overhaul his stablemate inside the final furlong gave generously to see out the mile the better of the pair. It was the 15-8 favourite Field Of...

It was the perceived wisdom of 2024 that the 2-year-old fillies were a level above the colts and as Newmarket's two mile Classics loom this weekend, we get a first measurement of whether that has carried over. On the face of it, the line-ups for the Betfred-sponsored 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas suggest that the fillies' monument is the one most anticipated among Suffolk's hardcore. There's a good old Godolphin-Ballydoyle stand-off between two unbeaten peer leaders and TDN Rising Stars in Desert Flower and Lake Victoria to come on Sunday and while it...

NEWMARKET, UK -- Galopin Des Champs, you say? He was yesterday's news. Today, and for the next few days at least, it's all about the Guineas. And what better way to start a day bursting with warmth and shiny promise from dawn than by watching the favourite for the Betfred 2,000 Guineas stride up Warren Hill not once but twice.  Field Of Gold (Ire), in partnership with John and Thady Gosden's talented apprentice Luke Catton, had two short, easy canters on Thursday morning. His main work is done, a lot...

It is nearly 20 years since Speciosa (Ire) became the first Classic winner to emanate from the breeze-up sales. The man who sold her, Willie Browne, had been plying his trade in that sector since 1978, and, as the breeze-ups close in on their 50th anniversary, it is good to see that the Mocklershill maestro is still very much at the top of his game.  In fact, last week's Craven Sale at Tattersalls was a good one for the founding fathers of the breeze-up game. There was Browne turning €70,000...

Classic trials may be about as fashionable as corduroy these days but I still love both, so it has been a riveting few weeks considering which of the three-year-olds may be about to take a big step forwards or may already have shown their best. People love racing for different reasons but attempting to know the unknowable is a major draw, and those puzzles are there for all involved in different facets of the game, from breeders to owners, trainers or punters. Whether through formal trials, racecourse gallops, or stable...