Field Of Gold, the highest rated three-year-old in the world, bids to officially become the best horse of any age by winning the G1 Sussex Stakes (1609m) at Goodwood on Wednesday (30 July).

The grey colt has been the star of the season in Britain. A misjudgment by his rider was blamed for a narrow defeat in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m), leading to Colin Keane taking over when Field Of Gold was the impressive winner of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas (1600m) at The Curragh and G1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1594m) at Royal Ascot.

Keane is currently suspended for a whip offence, and William Buick will be aboard the short-priced favourite in the Sussex Stakes.

For the first time, Field Of Gold takes on older horses, led by the highly rated four-year-old Rosallion. Neither has run at Goodwood before – a notably undulating track – but John Gosden, joint trainer with his son Thady, is confident that Field Of Gold will not be disadvantaged by it.

He said, “The track is very different from Ascot or The Curragh but the horse is athletic, he’s got great balance, and hopefully he’ll handle the track well. He’s in great order and we’re looking forward to running him.”

So are the connections of Rosallion, who won last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes. This year, Richard Hannon’s star returned from a long break to finish third, then a close second in Group 1 contests.

Hannon said, “I’m very happy with him. He did a very good piece of work last week. I haven’t seen him work like that for a long time. It’s going to be an extremely good race and he’s taking on extremely good three-year-olds, giving them weight, which makes it hard, but I think he is peaking now.”

In a fascinating contest, Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race six times, runs Henri Matisse, who boasts a fine record, including victory in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1600m), but was soundly beaten by Field Of Gold at Ascot.

O’Brien said, “You’re never happy when you get beaten, but Henri Matisse ran a good race and we’ve been happy with him since. He’s progressing.”

The race is eagerly anticipated, but while race fans wait, two Group 3 contests will engage them, the HKJC World Pool Oak Tree Stakes over 1409m and the HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes over 1000m.

In the latter, attention will focus on Lady Iman, who looked a special filly but lost her unbeaten record to another filly, Beautify, in a Group 2 race over 1200m last month.

Trainer Ger Lyons said, “It was trainer error. Colin Keane’s been telling me that she is a 1000m horse, but I refused to listen to him. We’ll drop back in trip now.”

In Keane’s absence, Ryan Moore, arguably the world’s best jockey, has been booked to ride Lady Iman.