Field Of Gold to get help from friends in Sussex Stakes

Eleven horses have gone off odds-on for the Sussex Stakes since 1990 and eight of them have obliged.

The trio to have come up short have been Ribchesterm beaten on bottomless ground in 2017; Dawn Approach. touched off by the exceptional Toronado in 2013; and Zafonic, whose brilliance was blunted by softish ground in 1993.

Zafonic carried the Juddmonte silks, of course, but memories of his reverse were erased by the subsequent stunning triumphs of Frankel and Kingman for the same operation.

Many believe this year is something of a penalty kick for another Juddmonte ace in Field Of Gold, a son of Kingman. he is no bigger than 4-9 to register a third successive Group One success.

The rancour, and change of jockey, which followed his defeat in the 2000 Guineas has been calmed by emphatic victories in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes.

A feature of both performances has been his turn of foot, particularly so off a strong gallop at Royal Ascot last month. There were no hiding places that day and the RaceiQ’s Time Index was 8.4 out of 10, compared to a meeting average of 6.1. None of the runners managed a  Finishing Speed Percentage of more than 99.69%, indicative of how hard they went.

Windlord, also Juddmonte-owned, set the early fractions that day. He ended up beating one home, but had played a pivotal part.

It looks like Qirat, trained by Ralph Beckett, will be asked to perform pacemaking duties for Field Of Gold this time. Maybe it will be a relay job, too, as Lockinge winner Lead Artist, subsequently disappointing in the Queen Anne, also races prominently.

You can understand Juddmonte’s desire for baton passing and a strong-run race, where stamina plays a part. Field Of Gold has hinted he will be just effective over further, and a muddling mile may expose a soft underbelly.

The Juddmonte International over ten furlongs could be next on his dance card if Goodwood goes to plan.

I wrote a column last week about the possibility of Aidan O’Brien matching, or even beating, the 28 Group One winners he achieved in 2017. He promptly chalked up No 11 for the season courtesy of Minnie Hauk’s Irish Oaks triumph.

You would have to say this would be a bonus triumph at the top level, although he’s got a team of five to juggle in Henri Matisse (5-1), Diego Velazquez (33-1), The Lion In Winter (33-1), Exactly (66-1) and Serengeti (150-1).

Henri Matisse is his undoubted No 1, although he was no match for Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes, when both spent the first half of the contest loitering in rear.

Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore will no doubt have a new plan, maybe involving potential new pacemakers (Officer went forward for the team at Ascot). But Juddmonte have got that boxed ticked, too.

However the race is run, it’s difficult to see how Field Of Gold does not confirm his superiority, assuming he’s in the same kind of form.

Last month’s Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot was an unsatisfactory affair in which Docklands and Rosallion ended up fighting out the finish. The former prevailed by a nose, going one better than 12 months earlier.

The RaceiQ sectional reveal they went very slow, very slow, very slow and slow for the first four furlongs. Furlong five was merely “par” before, finally, the tempo increased.

It turned into a two-furlong dash, with the first six home all recording Finishing Speed Percentages of 108% and higher.

As a form clue for next week, it is likely to be worthless. The bookmakers concur, making Rosallion 4-1 for the rematch, and Docklands 14-1.

Docklands seems to reserve his best for the straight mile at Ascot and whether he will be so effective at Goodwood is questionable. He had looked vulnerable at the highest level before that muddling Queen Anne and it could be that he has now enjoyed his finest hour.

By contrast, Rosallion surely has a bigger performance in him.

Like Field Of Gold, he won the St James’s Palace Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas last season, and was a hot favourite for this race before an untimely setback ruled him out. The rest of the season ended up passing him by.

Rusty on his return in the Lockinge, a muddling Queen Anne was never going to play to his strengths, which include a high cruising speed and ability to find another gear when others have cried enough.

But his overall form looks a notch or two below that achieved by Field Of Gold, and he’s got to concede 8lb to his year younger rival. 

The imposing Carl Spackler was a triple Grade One winner when trained in America, beating some “B Teamers” from Britain and Ireland, before being switched to Ciaron Maher in Australia. 

He went off at only 15-2 for the Queen Anne but that dawdle of a race surely did not show to him to best advantage. After a swift start, he took quite a grip without much cover and ended up fading to finish sixth, having had every chance a furlong from home.

Carl Spackler, named after a character in the movie Caddyshack,  will no doubt be happier in a truer-run race and remains an intriguing challenger. He is dismissed as a 40-1 chance this time, which suggests bookmakers have taken a literal reading of that Ascot form. 

Fast ground clearly serves him well but Lope De Vega’s progeny generally enjoy some ease underfoot, so do not discount him if conditions are on the slower side.