Wednesday’s Craven Stakes at Newmarket looks a competitive affair this year – with many chances. However, there are three Craven Stakes stats that one of the fancied runners Field Of Gold will need to overcome.
86% Of The Last 14 Craven Stakes Winners Came From Stalls Five Or Lower
The first of the key Craven Stakes stats that John Gosden’s FIELD OF GOLD will need to defy is the draw.
In the last 14 renewals of this Newmarket Group Three, we’ve seen 12 winners hail from stalls five of lower.
Field Of Gold has been handed draw 6, which puts him just outside this stat.
Last year’s winner Haatem came from stall 2, while nine of the last 10 winners also came from stalls 5 or lower.
Only the 2023 winner Indestructible, who was drawn 7, defied this Craven Stakes stat since 2014.
Craven Stakes Runners Drawn 1-5
- 1 – Wimbledon Hawkeye
- 2 – New Century
- 3 – Opera Ballo
- 4 – Aomori City
- 5 – Benevento
WATCH: Field Of Gold Winning The G3 Solario Stakes at Sandown in 2024
Trainer John Gosden Has Only Won The Craven Stakes Once Before
The most successful Craven Stakes trainer is the now retired Sir Michael Stoute with eight wins.
However, surprisingly the John Gosden team, who trains the grey Field Of Gold, have only fired in one winner of the race.
This success came way back in 1993 too with the 3 year-old Emperor Jones – meaning this top Newmarket yard are currently on a run of 32 years without glory.
12 months ago, the Gosden camp came up short again when their Eben Shaddad was second, while in 2023 Mostabshir was back in fifth.
Despite not having a runner in 2025, Aidan O’Brien has never won the Craven Stakes.
But of those with entries, the Charlie Appleby team have a good recent record with three wins since 2018.
They run two – Opera Ballo and Aomori City, but with William Buick riding all three of Appleby’s wins in this race – then his mount Aomori City is sure to be popular with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.
Appleby also has a 23% SR with his 3 year-olds at HQ.
Jockey Kieran Shoemark Is Just 3-52 Riding 3 Year-Olds At Newmarket
The final Craven Stakes stat against Field Of Gold is the strike-rate of his jockey Kieran Shoemark riding 3 year-olds at the track.
Gosden’s main rider boasts a return of just 3-52 coming into the race in this age group – which equates to a poor 6% SR.
This is also by far the worst on show from the riders in the 2025 race.
On a plus, Shoemark and Gosden did team up to win Tuesday’s Nell Gwyn Stakes with Zanzoun – who is also owned by Juddmonte, just like Field Of Gold.
Kieran Shoemark was also runner-up in the Craven Stakes in 2024 on Eben Shaddad – but has never won the race.
The jockey, with a ride in the 2025 race, with the best stats with 3 year-olds at Newmarket is William Buick. He’s got a 25% return.
Key Craven Stakes Trends 2025
- 19/21 – First run of the season
- 16/21 – Rated 110 or higher
- 16/21 – Still to win over a mile
- 15/21 – From the top three in the betting
- 15/21 – 9/2 or shorter in the betting
- 15/21 – Won over 7f before
- 15/21 – Won no more than twice before
- 13/21 – Won a Listed or Group race before
- 13/21 – Raced at Newmarket last time out
- 12/21 – Ran at Newmarket (Rowley) before (5 won)
- 12/21 – Favourites placed
- 9/21 – Finished unplaced last time out
- 8/21 – Favourites
- 6/21 – Won their last race
- 6/21 – Trained by Richard Hannon (5 of the last 13) (9 Hannon Jr and Snr wins in total)
- 3/21 – Ridden by William Buick (3 of the last 6)
- 2/21 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
- 1/21 – Irish-trained winners
- 1/21 – Went onto win the 2,000 Guineas
- Trainer John Gosden has only won the race once (1993)
- Trainer Charlie Appleby has won 3 of the last 6 runnings
- Trainer Aidan O’Brien has never won this race
- 12 of the last 14 winners came from stalls 5 or less
- 4 of the last 14 winners came from stalls 1
- The average winning SP in the last 10 renewals is 5/1
The Last Craven Stakes Winner To Land The 2000 Guineas Was Haafhd In 2004
Wednesday’s Craven Stakes is often billed as a trial to the 2000 Guineas, which is the first of the English Classics and run over the same trip in early May.
However, the last horse to do the Craven/2000 Guineas double was Haafhd back in 2004.
The first horse to do the double was Scot Free in 1884.
Last year’s winner Haatem was a creditable third in the 2000 Guineas behind Notable Speech.
While the 2018 Craven Stakes winner Masar was also third in the 2000 Guineas but bettered that a month later when winning the Epsom Derby.
Field Of Gold is currently around 25/1 for the 2000 Guineas, with the Aidan O’Brien-trained Twain topping the market at 4/1.
Craven Stakes Runners 2025
- Aomori City
- Benevento
- Field Of Gold
- Matauri Bay
- New Century
- Opera Ballo
- The Waco Kid
- The Watcher
- Wimbledon Hawkeye
2025 Craven Stakes Race Details
📅Date: Wednesday 16th April 2025
⌚Time: 3:35pm
🏇Racecourse: Newmarket
🔄Trip: 1m
💷Winner: £48,204
📺 TV: ITV4 / Racing TV
Recent Craven Stakes Winners
- 2024 – HAATEM (17/2)
- 2023 – INDESTRUCTIBLE (8/1)
- 2022 – NATIVE TRAIL (1/4 fav)
- 2021 – MASTER OF THE SEAS (11/4 fav)
- 2020 – No Race (Covid)
- 2019 – SKARDU (3/1)
- 2018 – MASAR (7/2)
- 2017 – EMINENT (8/1)
- 2016 – STORMY ANTARCTIC (9/2)
- 2015 – KOOL COMPANY (14/1)
- 2014 – TOORMORE (Evs fav)
WATCH: Haatem Winning The 2024 Craven Stakes
Note: All jockey and trainer stats on this page are subject to change
