Juddmonte’s retained number one jockey Colin Keane will MISS the big ride on Field Of Gold in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood at the end of July – after the whip review committee have handed the Irish rider a 14-day whip ban for a ride at Sandown Park on Friday 4th July.
We look at the most likely jockeys that could get the call-up to ride Field Of Gold in the Sussex Stakes.
Colin Keane Gets 14-Day Whip Ban For Ride On Windlord At Sandown
It was confirmed on Tuesday that jockey Colin Keane will be ruled out of the full five-day Glorious Goodwood Meeting and also the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – for his recent ride on the Andrew Balding-trained Windlord.
Keane was judged by the whip committee to have used his whip eight times. Which is two more than the allowed six strikes.
The Colin Keane whip suspension will run from July 22nd to August 4th. Meaning he’ll miss Goodwood (29th July – 2nd Aug) and also the Ascot King George meeting (26th July).
It was also revealed that his penalty was doubled as the race in question was a Listed event and being a Class 1 level, then the harsher ban comes into force.
Keane, who won the Sandown race on Windlord, was also finned £350.
@TomBull4 @LydiaHislop discuss the whip ban for Colin Keane
pic.twitter.com/Od56EMWBOK#colinkeane #sandown
— Ian Rayner (@RacingBossman) July 4, 2025
Colin Keane’s Whip Ban Means He’ll Miss Key Sussex Stakes Ride On Field Of Gold
The John and Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold has been one of the talking horses of the 2025 flat season.
He failed to win the 2000 Guineas after a critical ride by Kieran Shoemark, saw him lose his role at the yard.
But with Keane stepping in after being given the Juddmonte main jockey role, he mopped up the Irish 2000 Guineas and recently added the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot (watch below).
As a result, Field Of Gold was given a new rating of 123 and was cut in the Sussex Stakes market by the best horse racing betting sites to the red-hot odds-on favourite.
Gosden and Juddmonte will now have to scramble around to find a replacement for Keane. Who after getting his whip ban said.
“I can’t blame anyone bar myself. It’s a learning curve. We’re used to eight at home in Ireland and I can’t tell you the last time I was done for the stick. But they’re the rules.
“We know six is the amount over here but when I was in a ding-dong battle it just went out of my head unfortunately.”
Adding about Field Of Gold “I’ve never sat on one as good”
Gosden has won the Sussex Stakes twice before.
With his most recent Too Darn Hot in 2019 and also in 2014 with Field Of Gold’s sire Kingman.
WATCH: Field Of Gold Winning at Royal Ascot in June
Who Might Replace Colin Keane On Field Of Gold?
Kieran Shoemark:
Rode Field Of Gold to be second in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this season.
However, after a public falling out with the Gosden team, it would be a big shock if connections return to Shoemark.
Robert Havlin:
Stalwart at the Gosden camp for over a decade and often picks up the spare rides for the yard.
Rode Field Of Gold on debut back in June 2024, when third at Doncaster.
Could have a squeak.
Oisin Murphy:
Has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late – after being found guilty of drink driving.
However, Murphy remains one of the most sought-after jockeys around and has been used by Juddmonte in the past this season.
He looks the most obvious call to replace Colin Keane.
William Buick:
Buick is another of the top riders around at the moment and is number one with the ‘boys in blue’ of Godolphin.
Therefore, it depends if they will have any runners in the Sussex Stakes. At this stage, they’ve for Notable Speech and Ruling Court entered. But the former is going in Saturday’s July Cup and Ruling Court only ran last week in the Eclipse.
This could pave the way for William Buick to ride Field Of Gold. However, it looked like the Gosden’s might not have been happy with the ride Buick gave their Oubudsman in the Eclipse.
Ryan Moore:
The number one ride with Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien.
Of, course, if the Coolmore team don’t have any Sussex Stakes runners, then Moore – who has only won this Group One once (The Gurkha, 2016), could throw is hat into the ring.
However, at this stage O’Brien has Henri Matisse, who was runner-up to Field Of Gold at Ascot, and The Lion In Winter entered.
Rossa Ryan:
Normally rides to the Ralph Beckett yard, but at this stage don’t have any entries in the Sussex Stakes.
Ryan is also no stranger to riding for Juddmonte – he guided home their Bluestocking to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last season.
Therefore, Ryan would certainly be a solid option for the Field Of Gold team.
The Juddmonte general manager for Europe Barry Mahon has said. “No decision” had been made over Field Of Gold’s replacement rider in the Sussex in the aftermath of Keane’s ban being announced.”
Sussex Stakes 2025 Race Details
📅Date: Wednesday 30th July 2025
⌚Time: 3:05pm
🏃Trip: 1m
🏆Grade: Group One
🏇Racecourse: Goodwood
💷Winner: £567,100
📺 TV: RacingTV / ITV Racing
Sussex Stakes Recent Winners (Last Five Years)
- 2024 – Notable Speech
- 2023 – Paddington
- 2022 – Baaeed
- 2021 – Alcohol Free
- 2020 – Mohaather
WATCH: Notable Speech Winning The 2024 Sussex Stakes
12 months ago, Godolphin’s Notable Speech took the Sussex Stakes for trainer Charlie Appleby.
The horse has, however, failed to win a race since from his next five starts.
But Notable Speech was supplemented for the July Cup on Saturday for £36k earlier this week. As connections try him down in trip to 6f (from a mile).
