Gosden's looking to strike Gold in Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas
Friday, May 23, 2025
Rosallion and Sean Levey winning the 2024 Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh. Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post
The Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas has attracted a final field of nine runners in what promises to be a memorable renewal of Ireland’s opening Classic race of the season.
Four British-trained entries have stood their ground with three owned by Juddmonte, including English 2,000 Guineas runner-up Field Of Gold for John and Thady Gosden.
Ireland’s champion jockey Colin Keane, successful in the 2020 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas on Siskin in the Juddmonte silks, is booked to ride Field Of Gold, whose sire Kingman won the race for John Gosden in 2014.
While Field Of Gold spearheads the Juddmonte trio, Harry Charlton’s progressive Cosmic Year, who is the mount of Oisin Murphy, will go into the 2,000 Guineas unbeaten from three starts, while Chris Hayes has been booked for the Andrew Balding-trained Windlord.
Sean Levey won last year’s renewal on odds on favourite Rosallion for Richard Hannon and will aim to cause a bit more of an upset this weekend when partnering the Brian Meehan-trained Rashabar.
The sole Group 1 winner in the field is the Jessica Harrington-trained course and distance winner Hotazhell who bypassed a tilt at the French 2,000 Guineas in favour of the ground conditions at the Curragh.
A winner of the Group 2 Montane Developments Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last season, the son of Too Darn Hot then won the Group 1 William Hill Futurity Stakes Trophy by a nose under Harrington’s stable jockey Shane Foley and the Commonstown team are hopeful of more Classic glory at their local track.
“Hotazhell has been good since he returned from France,” Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother Jessica reported on Friday. “It was obviously a hard call but I think our decision was justified with the track record broken on the day.
“We have just freshened him up since he came back and I walked the track at the Curragh on Tuesday and it was beautiful ground with a great job done on watering it. We are really looking forward to him running a big race and he has a lovely draw as well in stall number four.”
Aidan O’Brien will saddle the only other course and distance winner in the field as recent Coolmore Stud Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer joins stable companion Expanded to represent Ballydoyle. Expanded finished ninth in the English 2,000 Guineas when the mount of Ryan Moore with Moore opting for Officer on Sunday and Wayne Lordan taking over on Expanded.
The strong field is completed by the Joseph O’Brien-trained Scorthy Champ and the Donnacha O’Brien runner Comanche Brave.
The Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes has also attracted nine runners with four runners from across the water. Charlie Hills who saddled Mitbaahy to win the race last year will this time saddle Iberian who is the mount of Jason Watson, while last year’s winning rider, Jamie Spencer, teams up with Kevin Ryan to take the mount on Grand Grey. Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi and James’s Delight for Clive Cox complete the strong British-challenge but it’s the Aidan O’Brien-trained Storm Boy will attract most attention.
O’Brien’s colt will be a fascinating runner as he makes his Irish debut having transferred from the leading Australian stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. O’Brien will be looking for a first win in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes since Merchant Navy’s win in 2018.
Racegoers will be treated to a packed nine race card at the Curragh on Saturday, the first of which is due off at 1.20pm with the Avenuebloodstock.com Irish EBF Maiden.
Joseph O’Brien holds a strong hand with three runners in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes with recent Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes third Trustyourinstinct lining up alongside Masoun and San Salvador, while Johnny Murtagh has Oisin Murphy onboard the Qatar Racing-owned Siege Of Troy.
The €100,000 QuinnBet Emerald Mile Handicap will see some familiar faces return to the Curragh with seven previous course and distance winners among the 19 runners which include last year’s winner State Actor.
The weights in the €50,000 Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap is headed by the Tony Martin-trained Westminster Moon, while the Revamp Restoration And Conservation Handicap will see the David Marnane-trained East Hampton face 10 rivals.
The Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival will get underway on Friday evening with a seven-race card that includes the Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes. A six-runner line-up includes the Adrian Murray-trained Tiberius Thunder and the Aidan O’Brien-trained duo of Shackleton and Thrice.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Habitat Handicap looks the most competitive race on Friday’s card with 16 runners going to post at 7.25pm.
The field for the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and the remainder of Sunday's card will be confirmed following declarations on Friday morning.
CLICK HERE FOR DECLARED RUNNERS FOR THE TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS
Four British-trained entries have stood their ground with three owned by Juddmonte, including English 2,000 Guineas runner-up Field Of Gold for John and Thady Gosden.
Ireland’s champion jockey Colin Keane, successful in the 2020 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas on Siskin in the Juddmonte silks, is booked to ride Field Of Gold, whose sire Kingman won the race for John Gosden in 2014.
While Field Of Gold spearheads the Juddmonte trio, Harry Charlton’s progressive Cosmic Year, who is the mount of Oisin Murphy, will go into the 2,000 Guineas unbeaten from three starts, while Chris Hayes has been booked for the Andrew Balding-trained Windlord.
Sean Levey won last year’s renewal on odds on favourite Rosallion for Richard Hannon and will aim to cause a bit more of an upset this weekend when partnering the Brian Meehan-trained Rashabar.
The sole Group 1 winner in the field is the Jessica Harrington-trained course and distance winner Hotazhell who bypassed a tilt at the French 2,000 Guineas in favour of the ground conditions at the Curragh.
A winner of the Group 2 Montane Developments Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last season, the son of Too Darn Hot then won the Group 1 William Hill Futurity Stakes Trophy by a nose under Harrington’s stable jockey Shane Foley and the Commonstown team are hopeful of more Classic glory at their local track.
“Hotazhell has been good since he returned from France,” Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother Jessica reported on Friday. “It was obviously a hard call but I think our decision was justified with the track record broken on the day.
“We have just freshened him up since he came back and I walked the track at the Curragh on Tuesday and it was beautiful ground with a great job done on watering it. We are really looking forward to him running a big race and he has a lovely draw as well in stall number four.”
Aidan O’Brien will saddle the only other course and distance winner in the field as recent Coolmore Stud Tetrarch Stakes winner Officer joins stable companion Expanded to represent Ballydoyle. Expanded finished ninth in the English 2,000 Guineas when the mount of Ryan Moore with Moore opting for Officer on Sunday and Wayne Lordan taking over on Expanded.
The strong field is completed by the Joseph O’Brien-trained Scorthy Champ and the Donnacha O’Brien runner Comanche Brave.
The Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes has also attracted nine runners with four runners from across the water. Charlie Hills who saddled Mitbaahy to win the race last year will this time saddle Iberian who is the mount of Jason Watson, while last year’s winning rider, Jamie Spencer, teams up with Kevin Ryan to take the mount on Grand Grey. Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi and James’s Delight for Clive Cox complete the strong British-challenge but it’s the Aidan O’Brien-trained Storm Boy will attract most attention.
O’Brien’s colt will be a fascinating runner as he makes his Irish debut having transferred from the leading Australian stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. O’Brien will be looking for a first win in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes since Merchant Navy’s win in 2018.
Racegoers will be treated to a packed nine race card at the Curragh on Saturday, the first of which is due off at 1.20pm with the Avenuebloodstock.com Irish EBF Maiden.
Joseph O’Brien holds a strong hand with three runners in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes with recent Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes third Trustyourinstinct lining up alongside Masoun and San Salvador, while Johnny Murtagh has Oisin Murphy onboard the Qatar Racing-owned Siege Of Troy.
The €100,000 QuinnBet Emerald Mile Handicap will see some familiar faces return to the Curragh with seven previous course and distance winners among the 19 runners which include last year’s winner State Actor.
The weights in the €50,000 Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap is headed by the Tony Martin-trained Westminster Moon, while the Revamp Restoration And Conservation Handicap will see the David Marnane-trained East Hampton face 10 rivals.
The Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival will get underway on Friday evening with a seven-race card that includes the Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes. A six-runner line-up includes the Adrian Murray-trained Tiberius Thunder and the Aidan O’Brien-trained duo of Shackleton and Thrice.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Habitat Handicap looks the most competitive race on Friday’s card with 16 runners going to post at 7.25pm.
The field for the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and the remainder of Sunday's card will be confirmed following declarations on Friday morning.
CLICK HERE FOR DECLARED RUNNERS FOR THE TATTERSALLS IRISH 2,000 GUINEAS
Hotazhell has been good since he returned from France. We are really looking forward to him running a big race and he has a lovely draw as well in stall number four.
