'The engine wasn't there' - John Gosden reflects on Field Of Gold's shock Sussex Stakes defeat

Joint-trainer John Gosden felt Field Of Gold, one of the season's standout stars, failed to fire when finishing only fourth in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes.

The son of Kingman was sent off a 1-3 favourite to land his third Group 1 of the year following emphatic wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes. However, he never got involved under William Buick and was beaten three and three-quarter lengths by 150-1 winner Qirat for the same owners in Juddmonte.

"We got left back a long way, that's life, and the pacemaker goes and wins it," said Gosden. "If you let them have those fractions they'll do it. He ran on but didn't seem well balanced on the track. It's a different kind of track than he's run on and he just got a little imbalanced coming out of the dip into the bend but I'm not making any excuses."

Asked if there were any parallels between this defeat and when he became slightly unbalanced before flashing home to finish an unlucky second in the 2,000 Guineas, Gosden added: "He ran a huge race in the Guineas and was flying at the finish. He was not flying at the finish here so it was very different.

"We’ll have to see why [he wasn't at his best]. He's having a normal blow and we'll have a good look. He didn’t seem comfortable and William said as soon as he asked him, the engine wasn’t there, simple as that. And if not, he’d have run on and probably been with Rosallion in second or right up there but he didn’t fire today."

'What does Rosallion have to do to win?' - Hannon

The murmurings in the grandstand when Field Of Gold's chance was gone were soon followed by roars from backers of 11-2 shot Rosallion, who rattled home under Sean Levey before just missing out by a neck. It was another agonising defeat for the four-year-old, who was beaten by a nose in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Rosallion (right): came closest to catching Qirat in the SussexCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It's pride not frustration, but what does he have to do to win?" said trainer Richard Hannon. "Sean did the right thing and moved closer to the pacemakers, and he’s run a super race but didn’t win. It’s life, isn't it?

"He’s a great horse. He's had his days but there are other days to come. He’s certainly not done with. He’s beaten the best three-year-old we’ve seen for years and also the French Guineas winner. It’s not a great day when you are second in these races but we're very lucky to be part of it and Rosallion went down fighting.”

Aidan O'Brien was similarly pleased with the performance of French 2,000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse in third, and he said: "We haven't really got him right yet but we think we're getting there. Every time he runs we're learning more.

“Rosallion came down the outside of him and took a couple of lengths out of him quickly and Ryan [Moore] just said it took him a little bit of time to get organised coming down the hill as he’s a baby three-year-old. He felt he wasn’t finished with and there’s more to come."

As to plans, the trainer added: "We think he’s a miler, but Ryan thinks he’ll stay further. We’ll see how he is but he could go back to France for the mile races and could end up in the US over the same trip. He could go up in distance but we’ve never thought he was short of pace."

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