Betfred 2000 Guineas report and free video replay | Court rules in the Guineas

Sent off 9/2 behind the 15/8 favourite in the betting, the son of Justify travelled well towards the stands' side under William Buick and got first run on Field Of Gold who lost momentum going into the dip.

At that stage it looked a Godolphin one-two as Shadow Of Light battled with his stablemate under Mickael Barzalona, but John & Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold finished well up the rising ground to grab second.

Ruling Court was half a length ahead at the line, with Shadow Of Light half a length behind Field Of Gold in a tight finish.

The trio were three and a half lengths ahead of Tornado Alert, another Godolphin horse, in fourth, with Wimbledon Hawkeye running on in fifth.

Buick spent much of the build-up deliberating over which of the Appleby colts to ride in the Classic and the trainer admits it wasn't easy for anyone.

"That probably was the hardest decision William has had to make as he has never had to get off a champion two-year-old to jump on a horse like Ruling Court.

"It hasn’t been a testing week by any stretch, but the pair of us have been playing mind games thinking have we got it right or wrong, because at the end of the day ultimately we want William to be on the right horses. My position is to be steering him, as much as he is doing his lion’s share of it as well.

"In doing what we have done today there is a lot of satisfaction, but relief as well because when the pair of them came up the hill I thought this could be a proper duel now, but anyway the result went the right way.

“You know me, as I always say, that if I look worried the rest of the yard better start panicking. I enjoy keeping a steady hand on the flotilla.

“It was one of those years that it was unusual to be steering someone away from a champion two-year-old. I was thinking Will, this horse will stay, and he has pleased us, and he was that ‘if’ horse as we haven’t got to the bottom of him.

“Full credit to the guys at home. To be fair the work you guys came up and saw at the Craven Meeting was simple work as I didn’t want him to have a hard piece of work up here as he is a light framed horse, but it surprised me how much he jumped forward for that bit of work.

"As much as Shadow Of Light jumped forward, the winner jumped forward too, bearing in mind one had a good bit of work. You saw Shadow Of Light that morning and he fell through the line, but he didn’t do that today. It was great, and great for the team.

"It is very special"

Buick said: “I feel amazing. It is very special. These races are what it is all about. These horses are amazing. They are a joy to deal with and a joy to ride and to have them at my disposal I’m very grateful for it. I love my job and I work with great people and it is a pleasure and when you get results like this it is very special.

“We had a very high opinion of him last year. He came into the winter and he was always going to run in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas and he put up an amazing performance there and he gave me something to think about on the way back from Dubai that night.

“I knew I had the Dewhurst winner in the stable as well. I had been thinking a lot for however many months, but as always I was led by Charlie and the team.

"I love the way Ruling Court did it as he is such an uncomplicated horse, and we treated him like that today. We didn’t go looking for cover. We were going to let him do his thing and get comfortable and ride him as if a mile is well within his compass. It didn’t feel like it was a very quick gallop early and I got momentum going into the Dip and when he came out of it he lengthened all the way to the line. I think he is a horse that can get further as well as he has got a huge engine.

“I think it would be hard not to think about it (the Derby) strongly. That is what everyone wants as if you think a horse is going to stay the Guineas is always a good marker. You don’t quite know if he will get a mile-and-a-half, but you feel a mile-and-a-quarter is in his grasp, but that last furlong and a half at Epsom is where you find out.”

Sandown was initial target

Appleby admits the Guineas wasn't the immediate plan after Ruling Court's five-length Listed win at Meydan in March.

“Ultimately, after that, we said ‘right hopefully he is a Derby time’, he is the only horse we have made an entry for, and we have got a couple of 2000 Guineas horses in Ancient Truth and Shadow Of Light, and we are not going to run all three, let’s just steer him towards Sandown Park.

“The closer we were getting towards Guineas time, and before Ancient Truth passed away, but before that I had it in my mind was it the right thing we are doing for the horse going to Sandown Park. If we go to Sandown Park, what do we achieve? We are not going to belt and brace it.

“If we came here, and finished fourth in the Guineas, I’m using that as Masar finished fourth, and you can only go on experiences you have had yourself, but if he did that hoping that he would stay further that puts a good bit of cement behind it going into the Derby.

“If you win at Sandown, of course you are potentially a Derby horse, but it doesn’t belt and brace it, but if you finish third in a Guineas you are a belt and bracer, and winning it you are a favourite.”

Gosden reflects on narrow defeat

John Gosden is still seeking his first win in the Betfred 2000 Guineas and said of the run of Field Of Gold: "The race probably wasn’t run in quite the fractions and we were sitting some way back. Quite frankly he (Ruling Court) has kicked and gone and we ran out of racetrack, it is as simple as that. Given another 25 yards the race would have been ours. This track when it gets firm like this it rides slick, it always has done. You get a bit of a cross tail wind and they can get away from you and it just got away from us I’m afraid as we came into the Dip and he was clawing the ground back, but it was too late.

“I could see it was lost as soon as we came into the Dip as we were too far back and he has kicked and gone. This is an unforgiven track. It does ride like a speed track when it gets firm. I’m surprised they didn’t put any water on, but I don’t want to go on about that at all, but it is riding very quick today. We will talk to the family and see where they want to go.

"I think you are looking at the St James’s Palace Stakes, but I think his perfect distance will be a mile and a quarter. He did nothing wrong. He was just a touch far back on the fractions and the race just got away from him. He was running strongly at the end so he was in great nick.

“You will probably find he ran a better race than he did in the trial, but a trial is a trial. When these horses haven’t run in Europe this year don’t start discounting them and this horse has proven himself, and possibly his purchase price now.”

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