Kieran Shoemark loses job as number one rider for John and Thady Gosden

Kieran Shoemark has lost his job as number one rider for John and Thady Gosden just four days after finishing second aboard Field Of Gold in Saturday's Betfred 2000 Guineas.

Thady Gosden revealed on Nick Luck's podcast on Wednesday morning that the yard will now use the "best available rider" strategy, but Shoemark will still ride for them when required, alongside retained riders for the various owners in the yard.

Shoemark has been under increased pressure since replacing Frankie Dettori as the stable's number one rider in 2024, and the decision was made following his defeat aboard the 15-8 favourite in the Newmarket Classic, which received plenty of criticism in the aftermath.

Thady Gosden told Nick Luck: "Naturally, since Saturday, myself and John have gone through things together, and decided that the best policy going forward for the stable is to adopt a best available rider strategy. Of course, it is still very early in the season, and there's plenty of time left to go, but we believe this is the right decision for the stable to have the best available rider, alongside the various retained riders existing within the yard."

When asked if it was the intention to keep the 29-year-old on their team of jockeys, Thady Gosden added: “Exactly, it’s of course a best available rider policy and we will see how that progresses as the year goes on.”

Speaking to the Racing Post, John Gosden said: "Nothing much is going to change, We are looking to use the best available from now on. We have eight jockeys that are retained to ride for owners connected with the yard and I haven't had a retained jockey since William Buick.

"There is no fallout but it is the ramifications of what happened over the weekend. We'll now use the best available. Kieran is riding for us in the Cheshire Oaks today and he'll be riding for us in the Musidora at York next week."

Shoemark has ridden 76 winners from 386 rides for John and Thady Gosden (20 per cent strike-rate) and will be aboard Queen Of Thieves in Wednesday's Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks at Chester.

The leading rider rode the majority of the Gosdens' runners last season following Frankie Dettori's move to America, although it has been far from plain-sailing for Shoemark.

He suffered high-profile defeats aboard Emily Upjohn and Free Wind at Glorious Goodwood last summer plus was also replaced on Inspiral ahead of the Prix Jacques le Marois.

Shoemark's first Grade One success for the yard was aboard Friendly Soul in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp in October, but Shoemark has already suffered mixed fortunes this season, and spoke in-depth on ITV Racing at the weekend about his ride on Field Of Gold where he blamed himself for being"too confident" at a crucial point.