'He's the best horse I've ever sat on' - Colin Keane hails Field Of Gold as glorious grey produces performance of the Flat season

There tends to be a temptation to go overboard this week of all weeks. With the sun shining, the Moet flowing and the good times rolling, we are all prone to hyperbole. No glass is half empty, always half full. But even those not viewing the 2025 St James's Palace Stakes through rose-tinted shades will surely admit we saw something extraordinary as Field Of Gold majestically followed in his father's footsteps with a performance sprinkled with stardust.

Richard Hoiles hailed him the "undisputed champion" of the clash of Guineas winners during his ITV commentary; his on-course colleague David Fitzgerald went with "gold standard"; Jane Mangan used the word "monstrous"; Brough Scott opted for "magnificent"; Paul Hayward, another doyen of the sporting press room, said "everything about him is box office".

That is what we are dealing with here, perhaps even a generational talent.

Eleven years after his sire Kingman emphatically reversed Guineas form with Night Of Thunder, Field Of Gold did likewise with Ruling Court courtesy of an explosive turn of foot at the two-furlong pole which left a pair of Classic winners completely flat-footed. Nothing got within an ass's roar of him. The winning distance didn't do his authority justice – it was more emphatic than merely three and a half lengths – and our thoughts immediately turned to the future. We always want more. Where next?

Some day the Eclipse will surely be on his agenda, but it won't be next month at Sandown. John Gosden poured cold water (a vital commodity on the day) on that idea and will point him at Goodwood instead. He's staying over a mile for now.

When asked about a fabulous first-world problem and whether he would be stepping the new star miler up in trip, Gosden replied: "He's had a trial, two Guineas and now this. That's a lot of races and we're not even halfway through the season yet.

"Maybe we'll freshen him up and go to the Sussex. I think if he hadn't run in Ireland I would have probably been keen to go to the Eclipse, but I don't want to push him. When they win like that they make it look easy, but they are taking a lot out of themselves and I wouldn't want to be going to an Eclipse in a couple of weeks."

The future can wait, we need to appreciate the present first. The Craven was good, the Curragh was better, but this was even better than both of those. This was the day Field Of Gold elevated the current Flat season to a place it hasn't yet been this summer. It was the shot in the arm it needed.

Colin Keane after winning the St James's Palace Stakes on Field Of GoldCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The gallop was generous throughout. The two pacemakers took each other on for the first few furlongs and there was a fleeting moment at around halfway when you wondered whether Colin Keane was further back than he wanted to be. Then, he ended up getting there too soon. That's what good horses do. They answer questions before the question has been fully asked.

"It was a great performance," Gosden said. “Oisin [Murphy, on Windlord] did a nice job doing an even pace. Colin had a lot of horse and, for a second, I thought, ‘Whoops, this is Ascot – it climbs all the way to the finish line, and we’ve gone a bit soon’. I didn’t watch him, I looked back – you always have to look back for the dangers, and fortunately, none was coming."

The dangers had been swatted away with the scintillating change of gear two furlongs out. It was instant.

"He always impressed as a two-year-old, but he was a big boy and outgrew himself," Gosden said, when asked how early he knew his dashing grey was more than just decent.

Field Of Gold (Colin Keane) wins the St James's Palace Stakes

Field Of Gold streaks ahead of Henri Matisse and Ruling CourtCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"We ran him in France, it was a mistake. I should have run him in the Dewhurst and I regret that. This year he has been exemplary in everything he has done. He's been a pleasure to train, because he's a pretty laid-back character. That's useful."

Field Of Gold is laid-back and, so too, is the man on his back. Keane is the sort of fella who turns over on to his other side in a hotel bed when a fire alarm goes off and riding an odds-on favourite in the St James's Palace Stakes was never going to faze him.

"Good horses make it look easy," the new Juddmonte number one said. "It was a very good renewal of the race. I don't know when the last time three Guineas winners clashed, but Field Of Gold was very good at the Curragh and very good again today.

Colin Keane give a thumbs up after Field Of Gold's Ascot heroicsCredit: Patrick McCann

"I was happy enough [with track position]. I was beside the three main rivals. I thought Ryan was always going to be behind us somewhere. If anything, the leaders probably didn't bring us far enough and we got there plenty soon enough, but he's tough and genuine.

"I am fortunate enough to be riding him and, at this moment, he is the best horse I've ever sat on. I'm in a very privileged position. I've been lucky enough to join this team. It is a very new relationship and to get a horse like him so early on is amazing. I've had nothing compared to this in recent years, so it's a very special day."

Special indeed. It was the most special performance of the Flat season. And that's no exaggeration.

Read more on Field Of Gold's Royal Ascot win:

This season's Flat hero Field Of Gold spreads the joy on opening day and ensures bookies are kept waiting for their big result

'That was absolutely wonderful to behold' - John Gosden is bowled over by the brilliance of Field Of Gold

'That was something special and the best I've seen at Ascot since Frankel'