Field of Gold trimphs in the Irish 2000 Guineas

RTÉ News​

24-05-2025

Field Of Gold made full amends for a narrow Newmarket defeat with a stunning victory in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the son of Kingman was beaten half a length after finishing fast and late under Kieran Shoemark in the British mile Classic three weeks ago.
Sent off the evens favourite for the Irish equivalent, new pilot Colin Keane never had a moment of worry aboard Field Of Gold, who made smooth progress with a couple of furlongs to run before fairly sprinting clear.
Field Of Gold came home a cosy three-and-three-quarter-length victor over his fellow Juddmonte-owned runner Cosmic Year, with Hotazhell a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
James's Delight swooped on the line to take home the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.
Trained by Clive Cox, James's Delight was settled on the heels of pacesetter Lethal Levi by Oisin Murphy, who was hard at work as the field entered the last of the six furlongs.
The 22-1 winner kept responding for pressure though and edged a short head victory over Lethal Levi on the line, with Big Gossey a further neck back in third after struggling to find a gap at a crucial stage.
Australian import Storm Boy was sent off the 6-4 favourite on his European bow for Aidan O'Brien, but he dropped away after racing prominently early on and was also slightly hampered in the finish, eventually ending up last of the nine runners.
Murphy said: "Clive was very happy with him. The plan was actually to get a bit of cover, but the speed wasn't very fast and he broke well. He is a tough, game horse for very good owners, the Rooneys.
"Jason Maguire (the owners' racing manager) does a top job and it's fantastic they have kept this guy in their colours and he can pick up valuable prizes like today."
James's Delight was continuing a recent British domination of the race, with Cox's winner a fourth successive triumph for the raiding party.
Asked why British runners have been so successful of late, Murphy added: "We generally have quite a lot of them and the handicap system is quite tough on them.
"They really have to perform in those big Saturday class two races. This guy came through that system and the guys have done a great job bringing him over here and preparing him for such a big day."
Brussels followed in the hoofprints of fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained runner Henri Matisse by winning the Avenuebloodstock.com Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden.
The subsequent French 2000 Guineas victor landed the six-furlong contest on his juvenile bow 12 months ago, while Unquestionable won for O'Brien in 2023, and Brussels (11-4) ensured a third successive win for the handler.
The Wootton Bassett colt was the pick of stable jockey Ryan Moore and duly proved too good for another Ballydoyle runner in Kansas, coming home three-quarters of a length in front, with the Ger Lyons-trained favourite Learntodiscover a further length and a quarter back in third.
Brussels is a 14-1 shot with Paddy Power for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, but O'Brien expressed some doubt about running in Berkshire next month.
He said: "Ryan was very happy. He said he was very green, he was very babyish when he got on and going down. He said he will come forward a lot from it.
"All these horses are running with Ascot in mind, but Ryan said that he was so babyish that it might come too quick. We'll see how much he comes on.
"He said that he thought he would have no problem getting seven. He's very big, a massive, big, powerful horse.
"The second horse ran lovely. I'm not sure if he's quick and six is far enough for him. It was five in Naas and he might be a fast horse."
O'Brien's son Joseph was also on the scoresheet as Trustyourinstinct (5-4 favourite) made the most of a drop to Listed company as he beat Romzina by four lengths in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes.
The JP McManus-owned five-year-old was running over hurdles at this point 12 months ago, but O'Brien plans to stick to the level now.
He said: "He's a lovely horse, very consistent and he loves it here at the Curragh. I'm delighted to have a nice winner for JP.
"He's well enough handicapped over hurdles but he doesn't really jump with great fluency. He'll probably stick to the Flat.
"He's a very solid Listed/Group Three horse and he pays his way every year. We've ran him internationally a few times as well and we might look at that again at a later date."
Apercu (9-1) is set for a rise in class after getting the better of Cloud Seeker by a short head in a thrilling finish to the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap.
Winning trainer Andy Oliver said: "She was enjoying herself and was going sweetly. She battles and when the horse came back at her, she just kept finding.
"She'll go up for that (black type company) and that would be the plan.
"Mares, when they do stay in training and start improving, you never know. What's good about her is that she just does enough. She's a great doer at home and brings it all to the racecourse."