Colin Keane Wins Royal Ascot St James’s Palace Stakes with Field of Gold

Colin Keane marked a triumphant start to his role as Juddmonte's retained jockey by riding Field Of Gold to a commanding victory in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The 8-11 favorite displayed an electrifying performance, pulling away decisively to win by three and a half lengths against a strong field that included other Guineas winners Henri Matisse and Ruling Court. Keane hailed Field Of Gold as the best horse he has ridden, describing the colt's acceleration as immediate and effortless, and emphasized the significance of winning such a prestigious race early in his Juddmonte career. The victory was particularly notable given the competitive nature of the race and the horse's lineage, as Field Of Gold's sire, Kingman, was a previous winner of the same event. The Royal Ascot event attracted a crowd of over 45,000, with much anticipation for the Monarchs to witness a winner, though their favored Reaching High finished unplaced. Keane's confident ride and Field Of Gold's dominant display have set a high bar for the remainder of the festival and highlighted the promising partnership between jockey and horse.