Palmer Going For Gold Again

NEWMARKET, UK–With the winners of the Irish Oaks and QIPCO 2,000 Guineas to his name, Hugo Palmer now boasts one of the biggest strings in Newmarket. Along with his success on the track, one of the hallmarks of the trainer's career has been his excellent PR skills, perhaps honed during his days working for Gai Waterhouse.

Palmer's willingness to communicate freely was demonstrated by throwing open the doors of his Kremlin Cottage Stable to the media and parading around a dozen members of his team on Monday morning ahead of the start of the British Champions Series.

Last year's Guineas winner Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) was saved until last and he will head straight to the G1 Lockinge S. on May 20, which is sponsored by his owner, Al Shaqab Racing.

Raring to go and more forward in his coat than some of his stablemates, Galileo Gold showed off for the assembled cameras and attempted to take a few chunks out of his trainer's arm when Palmer was asked to pose with him. But, understandably, the stable star can be forgiven just about anything.

“It's just a privilege to have him still in training as a 4-year-old,” said Palmer. “The 2,000 Guineas is one of the races you dream about winning. The fact that we were able to get such a dream run with Galileo Gold last year–I still pinch myself. Just everything was perfect in the run up to the Guineas and I count my lucky stars that it even happened. Those horses and those events are so incredibly rare–everything has to go right and it did.”

Galileo Gold's Classic victory came on his first start of last season and was followed by a second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas to Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross (Ire) and a further Group 1 triumph in the St James's Palace S. A narrow defeat by the Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Sussex S. led to two disappointing runs in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., with Galileo Gold refusing to settle on both occasions. In hindsight, Palmer blames himself for a below-par end to the colt's season.

“We ran him quickly three times at the start of last year and it was then quite a struggle to get him to Goodwood spot on,” he admitted. “I will always have a tiny suspicion that he wasn't quite at his peak in the Sussex, but he wasn't beaten that far. I regret now taking him to France so hot on the heels of Goodwood. The horse didn't really have time to relax and it buzzed him up for the rest of the year.”

Assuming the role of matchmaker in addition to his training responsibilities, Palmer sent Galileo Gold to Newmarket's Rowley Mile for a racecourse gallop last Thursday in a bid to rekindle his relationship with regular jockey Frankie Dettori.

“I think it's fair to say that when Frankie got off him at Ascot, having had two less than pleasurable runs with the horse, their relationship was a little bit on the rocks,” Palmer explained. “That was really the main purpose of Thursday's racecourse gallop–to remind Frankie what an engine this horse has and for them to fall back in love with each other again.”

He continued, “The horse had a lovely break over the winter and has settled down an enormous amount. Through December and January when he came back into work he was leading the yearlings up Warren Hill and it was wonderful to see. He had to lead his lead horse the other day as the lead horse was playing up. He's just grown up and the look on Frankie's face–the hugging and kissing of the horse afterwards–you really felt like the magic was back between them. The horse seems to be in the right place but it's so important that Frankie knows it too, and that they believe in each other. The piece of work he did at the Rowley Mile couldn't have gone better last Thursday and now we have four nervous weeks to avoid standing on stones between now and Newbury.”

Meanwhile, the trainer may well take aim at back-to-back wins in the first colts' Classic, as long as his contender this year, Escobar (Ire) (Famous Name {GB}), shows enough flair in his next piece of fast work. The Listed-winning 2-year-old–who has developed into an imposing individual–was another to undergo a racecourse gallop last week to see how he would cope with Newmarket's undulations.

“We didn't really learn a lot, other than the fact Frankie Dettori didn't feel very comfortable coming down the dip. He also had a much longer blow after the gallop than I thought he would have done,” said Palmer.

“Whether or not it was the dip, or whether or not he is ready, I don't know. The 2,000 Guineas is incredibly close. He has entries in the Derby, the French Derby [Prix du Jockey Club] and the French Guineas [Poule d'Essai des Poulains].

“He has come out of his gallop well. Frankie wants to sit on him a good few more times before we can make a plan where we can go with him. It's not impossible that he can go to Newmarket, but he will have to handle the watered gallop considerably better than he did the Rowley Mile on Wednesday for us to go there.”

Even if Escobar swerves his Classic engagement at Newmarket, Palmer should be represented at his home track in the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas by Unforgetable Filly (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}), who was third in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. at the course in October and returned last week to finish less than a length behind Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) when second in the G3 Nell Gwyn S.

“Her work had been fantastic, but I was really worried she had so far to come in her coat that she might not be ready, which gives me hope she has got a lot of improvement to come,” Palmer noted.

“James Doyle rode her, and will hopefully ride her in the 1,000 Guineas. He definitely felt that, even though her pedigree says she won't necessarily stay the extra furlong, she would improve for being run over a mile.

“She is very tough and loves fast ground and has come on a huge amount for her run, both in her coat and physically.”

Palmer also reported that the Lael Stable-owned Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), runner-up in both the English and Irish Oaks last season, has met with a minor setback.

“She has a slight muscle problem at the moment. The irritating thing is that she is trotting sound but walking a bit stiff. We will give her a couple of weeks and see where we are with her. The priority will be to win at least a Listed race with her as she is only the winner of a maiden.”