Gosden feels layoff quelled Field Of Gold’s QEII bid

John Gosden felt a lack of match practice ultimately stopped Field Of Gold in his quest for a second Ascot triumph of the season, as the high-class miler could finish only fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Off the track since returning lame in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood earlier in the summer, the son of Kingman was sent off the 13-8 favourite to recreate his dazzling Prince of Wales’s Stakes victory at Royal Ascot.

However, having raced on the wing in the hands of Colin Keane from what Gosden felt was an unhelpful draw in stall 14, Field Of Gold was unable to demonstrate his trademark turn of foot in the closing stages as Charlie Hills’ Cicero’s Gift sprung a 100-1 upset.

“He’s run a very good race, came into it well and just the lack of a recent run has caught him out in the last furlong,” said Gosden, who trains Field Of Gold alongside son Thady.

“He’s having a really good blow and he has spent a long time off. He’s worked fine at home, but it is nothing like coming here off a prep race and he hasn’t raced since the end of July. He just lacked that recent match practice.

“The draw seems to have played a little part, we were a little out there in the middle and I didn’t like the high draw. It wasn’t ideal and he was always on the wing the whole way rather than being in amongst it where the pace was on the other side.

“Having said that, I do think it is just the lack of a recent race which has caught him out. He was lame out of the Sussex Stakes, but he was moving well there.”

Having been off for 80 days prior to his Ascot run, Gosden had previously suggested Field Of Gold could board the plane to California for the Breeders’ Cup in a few weeks time.

However, he is now unsure what the future holds, seemingly pouring cold water on a trip to Del Mar for the Mile on November 1 as he reflected on a season that has yielded Irish 2,000 Guineas success as well as his brilliant victory at the Royal meeting.

Gosden added: “I wouldn’t think we would necessarily want to be going running round two bends at Del Mar. You can see he’s a big, long-striding horse.

“He’s been brilliant in two races this season and then it all unravelled and went pear-shaped at Goodwood, but he’s run a solid race here.

“I think if we could have squeezed a race in that would have been good, but of course after Goodwood we have had to wait until we had him just how we wanted him.

“There’s no decision on next season yet, we’ll just have to wait and see what everyone would like to do.”

In a clash of generations it was Rosallion who flew the flag for the older horses, sent off at 4-1 when searching for his first victory in a season full of agonising reversals.

However, connections were left to rue conditions at Ascot after Richard Hannon’s crack miler came home a place behind Field Of Gold in sixth.

Liam O’Rourke, bloodstock manager for owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, said: “He’s gone out on his shield and he’s a very honest horse who has never run a bad race ever.

“I think that’s the furthest he’s ever been beaten in his career and he’s still run well.

“The ground was perhaps a touch holding for him and we know he’s an established lover of fast ground and it was good ground, but not fast.

“It’s been a long season since the Lockinge and probably the first time this year he’s encountered ground like that.

“I don’t think his races have left a mark and they have been well spaced apart and Richard and the team were very happy with him going into the race. He looked wonderful beforehand as he always does.

“Docklands wasn’t far in front of him and if there was a ground differential today, that might be the one thing we think could have helped him. It might not have been enough to see him win but he could have got closer. We know he loves fast ground and that wasn’t what we had today.”

On his future, O’Rourke added: “Sheikh Mohammed Obaid will decide that and he’s had a great season, it’s just a shame he hasn’t got the glory, but he’s given us a lot of good days.”

With the big names finishing outside the podium spots, it was left to Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter to showcase his true potential and pick up the silver medal.

The Irish were also responsible for the third-placed Alakazi, who justified trainer Johnny Murtagh’s undoubted confidence in the progressive three-year-old.