French Aims For Galileo Gold

Al Shaqab Racing's Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), winner of the G2 Vintage S. July 28 and third in the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere last weekend on the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe undercard, will now be put away for the winter and aim for the 2016 French Classics, trainer Hugo Palmer told At the Races.

“He doesn't run in the Racing Post Trophy,” Palmer told At The Races. “The ground was a little bit too quick for him in Longchamp. His main target next year will be the [G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains] and then the [G1 Prix du Jockey Club]. Whether or not we take in a trial, either here on in France for the French Guineas, is a decision we'll have to make. I'll talk to the Sheikh [Joaan Al Thani] and to Harry Herbert over the winter to see what we want to do and the best thing by the horse.”

With construction on Longchamp having begun the day after the Arc, the Guineas is expected to be staged at Deauville next year.

“The French Guineas next year is, I understand, going to be run in Deauville, which I think will suit him much better than if it were in Longchamp,” Palmer noted. “That's the direction we're heading in at the moment.”