John Gosden says 'everything to play for' as he seeks first 2,000 Guineas win

John Gosden says there is ‘everything to play for’ as he seeks an elusive first victory in the Betfred 2,000 Guineas on Saturday. One of the ’s most successful trainers, the 74-year-old, who now trains with son Thady, has won the Derby twice plus every other British Classic bar the Newmarket colts’ Classic.

He famously came very close when future champion Kingman, the 6-4 favourite, was defeated half a length by Night Of Thunder in 2014. On Monday Field Of Gold, a hugely impressive winner of the Craven Stakes, headed 17 confirmations for the race.

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Gosden said: “He’s done well since winning the Craven and that was a race where they went strong and he did burst through from the back so maybe they overdid it in front, but he is pointing nicely and is in good order towards the Guineas at the moment.

“I will look forward to it, he has won a trial well but of course there are horses coming from Ireland who have not run yet this year and have very good form and they may just show our form to be inferior. There will be everything to play for, that’s for sure.”

The sponsors make Field Of Gold their 2-1 favourite at the five-day stage, followed by Aidan O’Brien’s Twain, who won his maiden and a Group One in the space of just eight days last year.

Last year Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby registered his second 2,000 Guineas win in three years when Notable Speech followed on from the 2022 victory of Coroebus.

Both were ridden by two-time champion jockey William Buick, who this year has a tough call to between Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court.

Shadow Of Light became only the third horse in history to win the Middle Park Dewhurst Stakes last year while Ruling Court ran twice in the UK last summer and has since added the UAE 2,000 Guineas.

Buick, ambassador for the Jockey Club, said: “I haven’t made a decision yet as to what I will ride in the Betfred 2000 Guineas.

“Obviously both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court are in the race. Shadow Of Light is a champion two-year-old and Dewhurst winner so it’s an obvious race for him to go for. Ruling Court is a horse we don’t know as much about but he won the Guineas in Dubai on Super Saturday when he couldn’t have done any more.

“Charlie and I feel they both deserve to be in the Betfred 2000 Guineas. It is a hugely important race and going to be hugely competitive. There are horses in there that have run in and won trials but most of them we haven’t seen yet this year and that is always the thing with both of the Guineas races – you just never really know.

“I have ridden both Shadow Of Light and Ruling Court this year and you would have to be pleased with both of them. They are two very straightforward and high-class horses. I don’t know if I will get to sit on either of them before declarations time on Thursday – that will be Charlie’s call.”