Field Of Gold could surpass Kingman's rating with Sussex Stakes win
An impressive win for Field Of Gold in Sussex Stakes could see the John and Thady Gosden-trained three-year-old exceed his sire Kingman’s peak Timeform rating of 134.
Field Of Gold is currently rated 132p after his impressive win in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the same rating that Kingman held heading into the Sussex Stakes in 2014, and just 2lb below his sire’s final master rating of 134.
There are many similarities between Field Of Gold and Kingman, with both horses trained by John Gosden and having followed almost the same path through their three-year-old season.
Kingman won the Greenham Stakes on his first start as a three-year-old, while Field Of Gold won the Craven Stakes, but from then their progression has been almost identical, with both narrowly missing out in the 2000 Guineas before winning the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes in style.
Kingman went on to win the Sussex Stakes and then Prix Jacques le Marois, and before heading off to stud at the end of his three-year-old season was rated 134 by Timeform.
Field Of Gold may well step up to 10 furlongs following the Sussex Stakes, as he holds an entry in the Juddmonte International at York and Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, and that could bring even further improvement from John and Thady Gosden’s grey.
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Timeform handicapper, Patrick Jupp, said: “Field Of Gold is set to continue down the path trodden by his sire, and he heads to the Sussex Stakes on the same rating that Kingman brought to the table back in 2014 (132p).
“The manner of Field Of Gold’s success at Royal Ascot raised the possibility he might end up bettering the final rating of 134 set by his father, but there are a few reasons for thinking we may have to wait a bit longer for that milestone to be reached.
“It’s debateable if he faces the depth of competition that will draw a big rating from him, even though he’s taking on his elders for the first time, whilst Goodwood’s idiosyncratic track is another unknown (he took a little time to get organised in the Dip when beaten in the 2000 Guineas).
“Qirat is presumably in there as a pacemaker to ensure things don’t get too tactical, and I fully expect to see Field of Gold add another Group 1 win to his collection, but I suspect we’ll have to wait until he steps up to 10 furlongs before we see him progress further.”
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