Galileo Gold can get back to form
Palmer's three-year-old weakened tamely in France to finish a well-beaten eighth as Richard Fahey's Ribchester took top honours
HUGO PALMER reports Galileo Gold to be none the worse following his disappointing display in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.
The 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes hero was a hot favourite to get back on the winning trail in France after he was narrowly denied by The Gurkha in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
But after racing on the speed under Frankie Dettori, the three-year-old weakened tamely and finished a well-beaten eighth as the Richard Fahey-trained Ribchester, third in the Sussex, claimed an impressive victory.
Palmer said: "He's absolutely fine - I think the trainer took it worse than the horse.
"It wasn't our day on Sunday, but, thankfully, we've had some very good days with him before and I'm sure there'll be more good days to come."
Palmer also nominated the Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket on September 22 as a potential next port of call for exciting juvenile Escobar.
The Famous Name colt made a big impression when making a successful debut at Newbury in mid-July and he returned to the Berkshire circuit to make it two from two in the Washington Singer Stakes on Saturday.
The colt holds lots of big-race entries towards the end of the season, but Palmer is keen not to over-face a youngster he sees as a work in progress - with the Group Three at Newmarket next month identified as a nice fit.
"I was very happy with him on Saturday," said the Newmarket handler.
"I don't think we'll go to Doncaster for the Champagne Stakes - he's still quite an immature horse.
"I think we'll probably look towards something like the Somerville Tattersall Stake."
