Field Of Gold ruled out of Lockinge Stakes

Field Of Gold will miss the Boyle Sports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 16 after he was found to be suffering from a bacterial infection.

Last year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner was expected to be a major player in all the showpiece mile races this season.

He met with defeat on his comeback at Sandown last week, but connections were still pleased with his performance. However, the John and Thady Gosden-trained grey now faces a race against time to make Royal Ascot.

A statement by his owners, Juddmonte, read: “We were very happy with how Field Of Gold ran in his first start this season but post-race a bronchoalveolar lavage revealed a lower respiratory tract bacterial infection. This will require the horse to have a couple of easy weeks along with some treatment.

“In turn this will cause Field Of Gold to miss the Lockinge Stakes and we hope to have him ready for a return to the races at Royal Ascot or in the second half of the season.”