By Daithi Harvey
Hugo Palmer feels it is back to the drawing board somewhat with Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) following his underwhelming run in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury on Saturday. The race didn't unfold as Palmer would have liked with Galileo Gold running with the choke out and eventually folding tamely in the last furlong to finish fifth behind Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). “He's pulled up in good shape. Like his team he's a little bit deflated, but he's sound and he ate up and we look forward to another day,” the trainer said on Sunday. Palmer has a theory that Galileo Gold is a better horse running around a bend and this, as well as a potential dropping in grade will be discussed as future options for the Al Shaqab Racing owned 4-year-old. “I suppose there is the option, after a series of disappointments now, that we might like to give him a penalty kick in a lower grade race to help the horse regain his confidence. There's also just a chance the horse might be better with a bend.” Galileo Gold won the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot last year but his target this year should he return would be the G1 Queen Anne S. over the straight course.
“Royal Ascot is obviously an option. I know he won the 2000 Guineas last year, but conceivably the best run of his two-year-old career was at Goodwood. The St James's Palace he won last year was over the round mile and the Queen Anne is over the new mile on the straight course. We've got a month to Ascot and we'll discuss everything,” Palmer added.
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