Kieran Shoemark needed more time… but John Gosden clearly felt differently
TIME is the most precious commodity in life. Maybe John Gosden thought he was running out of time. Kieran Shoemark just needed some time.
If they weren’t going to give the young guy time, it makes me wonder why the Gosden’s – John trains in partnership with son Thady – appointed Shoemark to follow in the footsteps of Frankie Dettori.
They did so knowing Shoemark would need support. A raw talent. He took the job clearly not being a Dettori. But the potential was there to be a high flyer.
When Kieran Shoemark took over as No1 rider for the Gosden’s in 2024, he had waited on the sidelines for the previous season to get the job he had dreamt of as a child.
Shoemark is a man who likes to do the right thing. In 2023 he told the trainer giving him the most rides, Charlie Hills, that he was heading to Clarehaven at the end of the campaign.
As a result, the Hills mounts quickly dried up. 2023 was a slow, hard and tough year. But for Shoemark it was worth the pain.
The agony, though, would continue.
Although conscious he would not ride all the big names as many had retained riders, in 2024 Shoemark had three class acts to look forward to in Inspiral, Emily Upjohn and Free Wind. But all three were past their sell by dates.
In the Group 1 Lockinge, Shoemark was on Inspiral for Cheveley Park Stud. She lost. Stable and owner companion Audience won.
Cheveley Park clearly blamed Shoemark as they hardly used him again. Oddly, that changed just last week when he gave Siren Suit a beauty at Ascot.
Shoemark also lost the ride on Emily Upjohn.
All three horses failed to win for anyone, including Dettori and Ryan Moore. Dettori had an absolute shocker on Emily Upjohn in the Breeders’ Cup.
Once the old school had been cleared out, Shoemark excelled with the new kids on the block, namely Lead Artist and Friendly Soul, who landed a Group 1 on Arc weekend.
This term the good work continued. He trades at 30% wins to rides for the Gosden team. That’s class. Dettori mixed it at 33% in 2023.
Lead Artist ran a belter when second to a track specialist in Bahrain, Zanzoun scooted home in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn, Field Of Gold was superb in the Group 3 Craven.
After that success, Gosden praised Shoemark for taking a route away from the rail. The following week, he gave Sardinian Warrior a cracker in the Listed Queen Anne Trial at Ascot and only last week Shaha was excellent in a Listed contest at Goodwood.
Then came Field Of Gold and his defeat at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas. And all hell broke loose.
Shoemark rode Field Of Gold for a turn of foot which he had shown in the Craven on easy ground off a strong pace. In the 2000 Guineas off a steady gallop, he took too long to get going. It happens.
This weekend Shoemark was set to partner Detain and Zanzoun in Classics in France. Instead, the Gosdens are using what they call the best available.
But it’s hard to believe there is anyone better for those two horses than Shoemark. He’s ridden them six times and won five races. It’s a funny old game.
A week in racing is quite simply a very, very long time.
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