By Peter Moore at Sandown Park 31st August 2024
For the second day running at Sandown, the colours of Juddmonte silks were carried to victory from a horse that already looks to have a bright future ahead of him.
Two-year-old Field Of Gold was already an impressive winner at Newmarket in July, but on Saturday the colt went up a new level to land the Group 3 Sky Bet Solario Stakes by three quarters of a length from the fast finishing Matauri Bay.
Field Of Gold gave trainer John Gosden a record seventh win in the Solario, one more than Sir Henry Cecil. After the race, Field Of Gold was cut to 14-1 from 25’s with Paddy Power for next year’s 2,000 Guineas.
Gosden jnr Thady said after the race “He’s done most of that on natural ability and it looked like a deep field today, so hopefully he should keep on improving,” said Gosden jnr. “There’s plenty of scope for improvement and he’s got a fantastic mind. He’s very laid-back about life, which will help him develop.”
The Group 3 Sky Bet Atalanta Stakes was dominated by the David Menuisier trained Tamfana who looked the winner a couple of furlongs out under Oisin Murphy.
The filly was dropping in class and showed her quality with a cosy victory by two and three quarter lengths from Doha.
Tamfana suffered a luckless passage when fourth in the 1,000 Guineas in May before running out of steam over a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Paris last time out.
“I’m delighted and she’s done it with style,” said Menuisier. “Despite the fact she’s had a break and she was in need of the run, that’s how she should have won the race.
“I’ve enjoyed her since day one. She’s been challenging at times, rewarding and frustrating, but she’s fantastic and I’m lucky to have three or four high-class horses. They’re the ones you look forward to all your life and it’s a dream come true.”
The Pulborough based trainer mentioned that the three-year-old is entered in the Sun Chariot over a mile as well as the Prix de l’Opera over a mile and a quarter the next day along with an entry in the QE11.
The ride on Tamfana was the middle part of a treble for champion jockey elect Murphy. The day started where it left of for the Irishman after winning the last at Sandown yesterday the four time champion jockey steered Glenfinnan to victory in the 7f handicap.
Murphy didn’t have to work hard on Flight with a hands and heels ride on the Ollie Sangster trained two-year-old to claim the 7f maiden fillies stakes.
Flying Frontier bounced back from a disappointing performance in the Racing League to land the 1m 2f handicap.
Trainer Michael Herrington has a good record when sending runners to Sandown. That continued when the Willoughton based trainer saddled Good Earth to win the finale on the card to complete successive wins for the three-year-old gelding.