Following the opening Classics of the British season, the weekend just gone saw attention turn to the Emerald Isle. Three weeks after the 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the focus switched to County Kildare, as the Curragh staged the Irish versions of the 1m events for the colts and fillies.
Traditionally, several of those to have lined up at Newmarket had the Irish events pencilled in for their next assignments. Things were no different in 2025. The Irish 2000 Guineas featured a trio of colts who contested the British version of the race, including the horse many believed only lost due to a subpar ride at HQ. The field for the fillies’ event featured four runners beaten at Newmarket, including the second and third-placed finishers, and an Aidan O’Brien star who blazed a trail through her juvenile campaign, only to lose her unbeaten record with a sixth-placed effort behind Desert Flower.
Despite tasting defeat in their opening Classic assaults of 2025, the market suggested that Field Of Gold and Lake Victoria would bounce back at the Curragh. And that’s just how things panned out.
Field Flawless Under Keane
Sent off as the 15/8f for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket following an electric Craven Stakes victory, the Juddmonte-owned Field Of Gold had to make do with a half-length second to Godolphin’s Ruling Court. However, it’s hard to disagree that he emerged as the best horse in the race and would surely have won had Kieran Shoemark kicked for home just a little earlier.
As expected, that overconfident ride proved costly for jockey Shoemark, who seems unlikely to ride the son of Kingman again in the foreseeable future. When seeking a replacement for this assignment, multiple Irish Champion Jockey Colin Keane looked like an outstanding candidate. Successful in this race aboard the Juddmonte-owned Siskin in 2020, could he get the job done once again?
Irish 2,000 Guineas 2025 Full Result
| Position | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Field Of Gold | Evens | John & Thady Gosden | Colin Keane |
| 2nd | Cosmic Year | 4/1 | Harry Charlton | Oisin Murphy |
| 3rd | Hotazhell | 9/1 | Jessica Harrington | Shane Foley |
| 4th | Rashabar | 14/1 | Brian Meehan | Sean Levey |
| 5th | Comanche Brave | 50/1 | Donnacha O’Brien | Gavin Ryan |
| 6th | Scorthy Champ | 33/1 | Joseph Patrick O’Brien | Dylan Browne McMonagle |
| 7th | Officer | 9/2 | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 8th | Windlord | 25/1 | Andrew Balding | Chris Hayes |
| 9th | Expanded | 28/1 | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan |
Rather than complicating matters from a wide draw in stall nine, Keane kept things simple and maintained his position to the outside throughout. Ridden quietly in midfield, he moved his mount into contention at the 3f mark and pressed go at the 2f pole. The response was scintillating as the even-money favourite accelerated away from the field for an emphatic 3½l triumph.
In claiming this event following a narrow defeat in the English 2000 Guineas, Field Of Gold emulated his sire, who lost out by ½l at Newmarket before storming to a 5l win in the 2014 edition of this event.
On this evidence, the strapping grey looks like the best three-year-old miler in training. The St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot is the obvious next port of call for Field Of Gold – a race for which he is now the clear favourite at a general price of just 5/4.
Lake Back in Full Flow
Unlike Field Of Gold, Lake Victoria had no excuses regarding the way the race unfolded in the 1000 Guineas; she simply failed to find the exhilarating finishing effort that had epitomised her two-year-old campaign. In hindsight, that possibly shouldn’t have come as a surprise, as Aidan O’Brien warned punters that she wasn’t cherry-ripe before the race and would come on significantly for the outing.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, and the filly who had claimed Group 1 events over three different distances in three different countries rediscovered her best form in style.
Irish 1,000 Guineas 2025 Full Result
| Position | Horse | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Lake Victoria | 10/11 | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore |
| 2nd | California Dreamer | 50/1 | Adrian Murray | David Egan |
| 3rd | Cercene | 20/1 | Joseph G Murphy | Gary Carroll |
| 4th | Duty First | 25/1 | Archie Watson | Hollie Doyle |
| 5th | City Of Memphis | 18/1 | Paddy Twomey | Billy Lee |
| 6th | Flight | 5/1 | Ollie Sangster | Oisin Murphy |
| 7th | Atsila | 16/1 | Donnacha O’Brien | Gavin Ryan |
| 8th | January | 14/1 | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan |
| 9th | Swelter | 11/2 | Dermot Weld | Chris Hayes |
| 10th | Jaliyah | 125/1 | Adrian Murray | Colin Keane |
| 11th | Simmering | 12/1 | Ollie Sangster | Dylan Browne McMonagle |
| 12th | Tamam Desert | 300/1 | Eoghan O’Neill | Shane Foley |
Having gained an early position against the rail under the always-excellent Ryan Moore, Lake Victoria tracked the trailblazing California Dreamer throughout. The only moment of concern came approaching the 2f pole, where the 10/11 favourite was briefly short of room. However, having threaded the needle between California Dreamer and Duty Free, the daughter of Frankel stamped her class all over the field in a matter of strides. Showing the type of speed displayed by her Group 1 winning dam Quiet Reflection, she sprinted away for an easy 2¼l success.
Now back in the winning groove, Lake Victoria will take some stopping in the fillies’ division this season. She is now no bigger than even money for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
