IT’S 11 years to the day since Kingman won the Irish 2000 Guineas. Today his sons Field Of Gold and Cosmic Year attempt to emulate their sire in the Curragh classic.

The similarities between Kingman and Field Of Gold don’t end there. The Gosden name is attached to both and, just like Kingman, Field Of Gold was arguably unlucky not to win the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and will probably go off at odds-on at the Curragh.

As has been well publicised, Colin Keane takes over today on the favourite. It promises to be a most exciting weekend for the colt’s owner-breeder Juddmonte, also owners of Cosmic Year and a third Irish 2000 Guineas runner in Windlord, all from different English yards.

Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon told The Irish Field: “Field Of Gold has probably not done anything strenuous since Newmarket but the Gosdens think he is in good shape. He wouldn’t be running if the team there were not very happy with him.

“Colin has never sat on him before but he seems a very straightforward horse, who relaxes in his races and has a high cruising speed. He was the last horse off the bridle at Newmarket.”

So what tactics can be expect from the Juddmonte trio? “There’s no team plan,” Mahon said. “Windlord tends to go forward in his races. He’s a nice horse with good form. Andrew [Balding] feels he will run a big race. Oisin Murphy said he didn’t stay 10 furlongs in the Sandown Classic Trial, so the drop in distance will suit him.”

Harry Charlton is the trainer of Cosmic Year, unbeaten in three lifetime starts but untried in Group 1 company. Mahon said: “He’s a high-class horse who is unexposed. I expect he will be held up and if he improves he could go close.”

Prince Saud, son of the late Prince Khalid Abdulla, will represent Juddmonte at the Curragh today. “The family are very busy travelling between London, Paris and Saudi Arabia, so it’s great that the Prince can be here,” Mahon said.

Rain forecast

A bit of rain before Sunday’s two Group 1 races would be welcomed by the Juddmonte camp. Kalpana (Andrew Balding) is their runner in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and Dermot Weld’s Swelter carries the famous green and pink silks in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Mahon said: “Kalpana missed a race at York last week due to a bad scope but she missed no work and scoped clean at the start of the week. It looks a strong race and maybe the distance is a bit short for her, but it’s a nice place for her to start her season. We’re forecast some rain which would help her chances.”

The same comment applies to Swelter, yet another by Kingman, unbeaten and “a very exciting filly”. The form of her Leopardstown Group 3 win in March was boosted by runner-up Exactly, who was not beaten far in the Pouliches.

Referring to Weld’s strong record in the Irish 1000 Guineas, Mahon said: “Dermot is a master trainer. He has won everything and when he aims a horse at a race like this you know it will turn up on the big day at 110%.”

The Juddmonte team are still smiling following last Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes win by Lead Artist. The Dubawi four-year-old has no doubt earned his spot on the Banstead Manor Stud stallion list. Mahon said: “He’s a magnificent specimen of a horse. We didn’t do a great job of placing him. He ran on soft ground twice, we tried him at seven furlongs and 10 furlongs, but a mile on fast ground last weekend brought out the best in him. That was the first time he showed what we had been seeing at home.”