Craven winner Field Of Gold leaps to top of three-year-old ratings
Field Of Gold's impressive victory in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday has propelled him to the head of Timeform's three-year-old ratings and marks him out as the one to beat in the 2000 Guineas.
Field Of Gold earned a Timeform rating of 121p, narrowly passing the benchmark set by Shadow Of Light who was Timeform's champion juvenile last season with a rating of 120.
Field Of Gold, winner of the Solario Stakes at two, had ended his juvenile campaign with a rating of 110p but showed much-improved form on his reappearance in the Craven to comfortably quicken three and a half lengths clear of Royal Lodge winner Wimbledon Hawkeye.
The only Craven winners who have been rated higher after the race in the last decade are Native Trail (122p) and Masar (123) who both went on to finish placed in the 2000 Guineas. Field Of Gold's victory continues a fine spring for owners Juddmonte who have also been successful with talented colts Cosmic Year (111P) and Jonquil (112p).
Timeform reporter David Cleary said: "In contrast to one or two of the others in the field, Field Of Gold looked to have done well since last season and he looked ready to do himself justice as well.
"Field Of Gold's performance in beating Wimbledon Hawkeye and Aomori City so comprehensively looks among the best in the Craven in the last decade and some way in advance of what Jonquil achieved in the Greenham.
"While both Juddmonte colts would be worth their place in the Guineas line-up, Field Of Gold is the one that sets the standard, his position as favourite fully deserved."
Timeform's highest-rated three-year-old colts:
121p Field Of Gold
120 Shadow Of Light
119p The Lion In Winter
116p Delacroix
116 Hotazhell
