Palmer On Brave Route To Newbury

Home Of The Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will bid to gain his first legitimate group win when he lines up in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury May 14. Hugo Palmer's colt was stripped of his victory over Gordon Lord Byron (Ire) (Byron {GB}) in the G3 Minstrel S. at The Curragh last year when traces of a prohibited substance were discovered in his post race sample. Newbury will also be the colt's first attempt back at a mile since his run in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas last year when he finished sixth behind Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Flemington Bloodstock Partnership owned colt made a successful seasonal debut last weekend at Leicester when winning the King Richard III S. over seven furlongs and his trainer is sure there is more to come from the 4-year-old. “You wouldn't know he had a race on Saturday. It didn't look like he was stopping at the line at Leicester so we are going to try him over a mile again in the Lockinge,” said Palmer. He continued, “He tried to make the running in the 2000 Guineas last year in quite a strong headwind and he was only beaten five or six lengths by Gleneagles. That was a pretty good run and he is a better horse now.” Palmer is not looking too far beyond Newbury and added, “I don't think he would get a stiff mile at Ascot and that's why he is not in the [G1] Queen Anne, but we will have a go at Newbury.”