Skip to content

Double delight for trainer Hugo Palmer at Windsor

Hugo Palmer poses at York racecourse
Image: Hugo Palmer poses at York racecourse

Hugo Palmer's yard is starting to hit full stride and the Newmarket handler teamed up with jockey James Doyle to claim a double courtesy of a promising pair of colts in front of a bumper crowd at a sun-drenched Windsor.

The brace was initiated by Employer in division one of the Call Star Sports On 08000 521 321 Novice Stakes.

Rob Speers, racing manager to owner Ibrahim Araci, said after the 15-8 shot's three-quarters-of-a-length success: "His form from his only two-year-old run is very strong and has been franked already.

"He is a horse we always liked and thought plenty of. We will give him opportunity to be a nice horse.

"We will talk to Hugo, but we will probably go in a novice again with a penalty."

The Derby entry held by Silver Quartz may not be taken up, but the son of Frankel could end up plying his trade at a decent level after his four-and-a-half-length victory in division two of the mile contest.

Palmer's assistant, Harry Peter-Hoblyn, said of the 10-11 winner: "The two horses had been working together and working at a similar level.

Latest Racing Stories

"He will probably take in another novice, but you can see from here he is a horse with a future.

"James seems happy to keep him at the trip."

Classic-winning jockey Sean Levey saw his celebrations dampened when picking up a seven-day ban for his winning ride aboard Nayel (8-1) in the Bet Online Now! Starsports.bet Handicap

Fresh from landing the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday aboard the Richard Hannon-trained Billesdon Brook, the 30-year-old teamed up with the Marlborough handler to take the mile-and-a-quarter prize aboard the son of Acclamation by a neck.

Assistant trainer Tom Ward said: "He goes well fresh and he was down to an ideal mark and the ground was perfect.

"If we find his conditions in three or four weeks' time hopefully he will do it again. He won first time out last year, then nothing else went quite right for him."

On Levey - who picked up a four-day suspension for his use of the whip, and three days for careless riding - he added: "He works so hard for us and it was great to give him a winner like that (Billesdon Brook)."

Conrad Allen saddled his first winner at the course in more than 28 years when Voi (7-2) survived a stewards' inquiry to land the Happy Retirement John West Fillies' Handicap, forming the first leg of a double for winning rider Andrea Atzeni.

Allen said: "She is a nice mare and we've been waiting to step her up in trip and we've been waiting for this ground, as she definitely wants fast ground.

"The mission long-term is to try to get some black type with her. I ride her at home every day and she is a joy."

The Peter Hedger-trained Medburn Dream (5-1) completed Atzeni's brace in the Berkshire Gardening & Design Company Handicap.

It was straight off the plane and on to a winner for jockey Sophie Ralston as the John Bridger-trained Porto Ferro (3-1) claimed victory in the six-furlong apprentice handicap.

The 25-year-old said: "I was in Spain this morning and I only arrived back at Gatwick at 9am, as two days ago I was riding in the Sheikh Mansoor Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival."

On the winner, she added: "They told me she can be a bit feisty and I was told to be careful, but she was great."

Around Sky