Emulating his sire, Kingman, Field of Gold, won the opening Irish classic of the season, having been defeated in the English equivalent earlier in the month at Newmarket.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the race favourite led home a 1-2 for owners Juddmonte.

The runner-up spot went to the Harry Charlton-handled Oisín Murphy-ridden Cosmic Year (4/1), who was three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner.

The first of the Irish-trained horse home was Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell (9/1), under Shane Foley.

Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes

Trustyourinstinct (5/4 favourite), a winner four times from 1 mile 1 furlong to one and a half miles, took the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the five-year-old son of Churchill was down to listed company this afternoon, and duly obliged at the lower grade, running out a four-length winner.

The runner-up, Romzina (5/1), ridden by Chris Hayes for Dermot Weld, had a head advantage at the finishing line, over the third-placer, Paddy Twomey’s new recruit, Magical Hope (4/1).

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Following the Juddmonte operation’s success with Bluestocking in the recent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamps, this time the Andrew Balding-trained the three-year-old Kalpana (100/30 favourite) gave Juddmonte another success at the highest level.

Ridden by a confident looking and acting William Buick, the daughter of Study Of Man put the race to bed quickly as she galloped out strongly to account for Aidan O’Brien’s Wingspan (12/1) by two lengths and Tiffany (13/1), from Sir Mark Prescott’s yard, by a further three lengths.

The winning handler Andrew Balding said of Kalpana, who completed a third straight victory:

“I have never known a horse improve as much as Kalpana. I think I even mentioned to Barry [Mahon, head of Juddmonte’s European operations] that we might put her in a sale this time last year! Just every time we started doing more with her, she’s just improved and improved, from Wolverhampton to here in 10 months.

“She is just an absolute diamond, as you can see afterwards. She has a very special temperament and is by an exciting young stallion. She’s from the first crop of Study Of Man, so it’s pretty exciting for them as well.

The winning rider was full of praise for his able partner, Kalpana, admitting:

“Kalpana has an incredible mind and is a jockey’s dream. I parked her up three wide with no cover but she was always comfortable, never wasted any energy and saved the whole way in that ground.

“It is a very special moment because it is my first Group One winner for Andrew. I started with Andrew, and Andrew and his whole family have played a huge part in my career so thank you to him and, obviously, Kalpana; what she did there was very good and she’s only going to improve.”

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Juddmonte have enjoyed a long and successful association with The Curragh since 1988 when they first sponsored the Group 2 Beresford Stakes and in 2018 they became a Group 1 sponsor with the Pretty Polly Stakes.

The famous Juddmonte colours have seen much success in Ireland, having won the Irish Oaks on three occasions with Enable in 2017, Bolas in 1994 and Wemyss Bight in 1993.

Many of The Curragh’s other top races have seen the Abdullah racing silks triumph, most notably this year’s Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas with the Ger Lyons-trained Siskin, while Khalid Abdullah landed the same race with Kingman in 2014 and Commander In Chief won the Irish Derby in 1993.

Notable previous winners of the Irish Oaks include Sariska, Snow Fairy, Blue Bunting, Ouija Board, Sea Of Class and Seventh Heaven, while the John Gosden trained Star Catcher gave Frankie Dettori victory last year.

The 2020 Juddmonte Irish Oaks will be run at The Curragh on Saturday, 18^th July.

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The unbeaten colt, in the colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, overcame trouble in running as he found himself behind the leaders, on the rail, as the race was about to unfold.

Jockey Colin Keane kept his cool and showed great patience as he manoeuvred the eventual winner to the outside of the 11-runner field, allowing the son of First Defence show a blistering turn of foot in the closing stages.

Siskin, who had never run over the mile distance of the Guineas before, dispelled all doubts about his ability to stay eight-furlongs, as the 2-1 favourite powered on in the final half-furlong to win with a little in hand.

Vatican City, winner of a Dundalk maiden, was best of the Aidan O’Brien runners in the first Irish Classic of the season, coming home late to clinch the runner-up spot, a length and three-quarters behind the now dual Group 1 winner. Lope Y Fernandez, the more fancied of the Ballydoyle runners was third, another three-quarters of a length behind his stablemate, with another Coolmore-owned colt, Armory, in fourth.

The winning trainer said of today’s success:

“This means everything, it means 30 years’ hard graft for everybody – to win a Guineas was always my number one and hopefully it’s the first of many. That was hard work and full credit to Colin Keane. He was out there on his own today against a football team and him and the horse got it right. The horse is a legend and bailed him out.”

Colin Keane, who like Lyons was winning his first Classic, said of Siskin:

“He is a very straightforward horse. He got me out of trouble when I needed to quicken up, and put the race to bed. He’s a horse of dreams.”

Ger Lyons confirmed that the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas victor will not travel to Royal Ascot next week and suggested the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood as a possible next target.

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