Field Of Gold tops nine hunting Irish Guineas crown

Field Of Gold will face eight rivals in Saturday’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas as he seeks to go one better than his fast-finishing second in the English equivalent.

Ruling Court just got first run on John and Thady Gosden’s charge at Newmarket, with Kieran Shoemark unable to reel in the Godolphin runner and going down by half a length.

Shoemark has since been demoted from number one jockey at Clarehaven and the Gosdens’ new policy of putting up the ‘best available’ rider will see Irish champion Colin Keane in the saddle at the Curragh.

Field Of Gold’s owners Juddmonte have also declared the Harry Charlton-trained Cosmic Year, who steps up in class after completing a visually impressive hat-trick in Listed company at Newmarket last time out, and Andrew Balding’s Windlord.

Aidan O’Brien will bid to claim a record-extending 13th win in the race via Officer, a course-and-distance scorer in the Tetrarch Stakes earlier this month, and Expanded, a disappointing ninth in the English Guineas after being sent off as the third favourite.

Joseph O’Brien’s Scorthy Champ seeks to bounce back from finishing seventh at Newmarket, while Jessica Harrington’s Futurity winner Hotazhell will make a belated seasonal debut after being a late withdrawal from the French equivalent due to ground concerns.

Rashabar bids to end a frustrating run of seconds since landing last year’s Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for Brian Meehan, having subsequently been runner-up in the Prix Morny, the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Greenham Stakes, while Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave completes the line-up.

All eyes will be on Australian import Storm Boy in the Group Two Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes over six furlongs, with the Ballydoyle inmate having performed with credit at the highest level in his native country.

He will be opposed by a quartet of British raiders in Kevin Ryan’s Grand Grey, the Charlie Hills-trained Iberian, James’s Delight for Clive Cox and Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi.