Field Of Gold provided John and Thady Gosden with a notable winner when confirming the promise of his maiden victory in the Sky Bet Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The Kingman colt was bought by Juddmonte at Goffs as a foal for €530,000 from Roundhill Stud.

In what has been a difficult season to date for the Clarehaven trainers and their jockey Kieran Shoemark, they now appear to have a real prospect for the major autumn juvenile contests and big races next year.

Field Of Gold’s sire Kingman won the Group 3 contest for John Gosden in 2013, with the grey’s success a seventh overall for the handler and a second in partnership with his son, following Reach For The Moon in 2021.

Royal Playwright attempted to make all but Shoemark always looked confident and Field Of Gold took two lengths out of the field when asked to go on.

To his credit Matauri Bay closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 5/4 favourite, but never looked like getting on terms.

“He’s obviously progressed and he’s had a nice break since his last run,” said Thady Gosden.

“As you saw he quickened up nicely, they didn’t go much of a gallop early on, and once he hit the front he was having a good look around. He’s a horse with plenty of class.

“He’s benefitted for his nice break since winning his maiden and looking at him there today, he has still got plenty of depth to him and he still has to fill out a bit. He’s done much of that today on natural ability. It was a deep field on their performances before and hopefully he will keep on improving.

“There is plenty of scope for improvement next year and like his sire, he has a fantastic mind which will help him develop.

“There’s two big races at the end of the season, the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Dewhurst Stakes, and we will talk to the owners and see where we go next. He’s won a Group 3 today, but he won in a style where that could be his next step.

“It’s what it’s all about, having horses that could progress from two to three, and he’s a horse with plenty of class and we’re looking forward to him.”

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, would be favouring the French option at this stage.

He said: “He’s a big horse and he’s going to be better as he strengthens and will hopefully make a better three-year-old.

“He will have no problem staying a mile and I think we will look at the Jean-Luc Lagardere next, at this stage that looks an obvious plan. The two-year-olds have been exciting this year and in general we have a good bunch led by Babouche in Ireland who is a Group 1 winner, so it’s an exciting time.”

Field Of Gold is now a 16/1 shot with one firm for next year’s 2000 Guineas, with Matauri Bay available at odds of 20/1.

The pair could yet clash again this term, with trainer Ralph Beckett also looking to ParisLongchamp on October 6th.

He said: “I thought he was a little green around the bend and Hector (Crouch, jockey) thought they slowed it down between the four and the three (furlong poles) and that has perhaps cost us because he couldn’t get out and then he was a little green when he did get out.

“He made up plenty of ground in the last furlong and I thought it was a pretty good effort.

“We will think about the Lagardere and all of those Group 1 races. He’s not a big horse so we will be getting on with it this year.

“He moved like a horse who will appreciate a bit of juice in the ground and Sandown is a great place to bring a horse who needs a bit of give. I think if it does start raining next month, we will be using that angle as well.”

Smart filly

Tamfana stamped her class on the Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes for Oisin Murphy and David Menuisier.

Admittedly down in class, she was also dropping half a mile in trip from her last outing when she finished fourth in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris over 12 furlongs.

While she was head and shoulders above her rivals on form having finished a one-length fourth in the 1000 Guineas and third in the Prix de Diane, she did have to prove she had the speed back over a mile.

The result never looked in much doubt, with Murphy holding on to her for as long as possible, cruising up to the leader Spiritual before quickening away impressively.

A step back up in class will now follow for the 13/8 favourite, who beat Doha by two and three-quarter lengths.

“I’m absolutely delighted and she has done it with style, which was what we were expecting to see really, despite the fact she has had a break,” said Menuisier.

“She was in need of the run and without being cheeky, that is how she should have won the race, the form was there.

“We were confident but you want things to go the right way. As you can see, she has a nick on her hind leg there and things like this could stop a horse in a race and that is why you always hope for a dream run. That’s pretty much what happened.

“It was important to win today and there was a fair amount of pressure. When you run at Group 1 level, anything can happen and you are hopeful. Today hopeful wasn’t enough – but it is good pressure. It was an important stepping stone to the autumn.

“She is entered in the Sun Chariot and the Prix de l’Opera the next day, so we will have the choice, we won’t make the call right now. She is also entered in the QEII.

“She’s versatile and she is not ground dependent – you can run on good, quick, heavy, all-weather, but we haven’t tried dirt!”

He went on: “I’ve enjoyed her since day one and she has been challenging at times, but rewarding and then frustrating and then rewarding again.

“She has a very strong personality and she is not easy to train everyday but at the end of the day, they need to have a bit of spark if they are good – Wonderful Tonight was the same. If she doesn’t want you in her box, she won’t let you.

“She is fantastic and I am lucky to have three, four, five high-class horses and they are the ones you look forward to all your life. It is a dream come true to train horses like that.”

Murphy added: “She has plenty of class and it was all very smooth. That’s the beauty with her, she is so rideable.

“Speaking to David, maybe she will stay at a mile now, I don’t know what mile race. She’s versatile and handles dig in the ground well. David and the owners will decide where she goes and they will have a good think about it.

“She didn’t stay in the Grand Prix de Paris which was my fault, as I thought she would stay 12 furlongs. She doesn’t and thanks have to go to connections for retaining the faith and allowing me to get the job done this afternoon.

“One thing to note today was that she was always comfortable against some speedy types over a mile.”