Hugo Palmer© Photo Healy Racing
Hugo Palmer feels Wolf Of Badenoch has a genuine excuse for his disappointing run last time out and expects him to be right in the mix in the Emirates Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.
A winner on his debut at Doncaster, he then chased home Aomori City in the Vintage Stakes.
Strongly fancied for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, Palmer felt he was inconvenienced by Chancellor, who kicked out in the stalls and was withdrawn. Wolf Of Badenoch ran but finished down the field.
“He was disappointing at Doncaster, but he’s in good order,” Palmer said. “He banged his head when the Gosden horse (Chancellor) hit the gates – we hit the gates as well.
“We thought we were going and he banged his head. Whether he ran a little bit dazed or not, I don’t know.
“We’ve been very happy with him since, but obviously he needs to step back in the right direction.
“The ground might have been a little bit lively for him as well at Doncaster, I know he’s run well on fast ground at Goodwood but a bit of ease in the ground at Newmarket on Saturday would suit.
“If he comes back to his Goodwood form, then he’s probably the one to beat.”
Charlie Appleby’s Silver Peak will bid to give the stable a fifth consecutive winner in the race.
One Ruler, Coroebus, Silver Knott and Ancient Wisdom have seen Appleby dominate in recent years.
Appleby told Godolphin on X: “Silver Peak is a Dubawi who broke his maiden at Haydock and the form has worked out very well.
“He’s done very well physically at this time of year, as they always do, the Dubawis, so we’re testing ourselves at Pattern level to see what sort of a career he’s going to have in the early part of his three-year-old season.”
Ryan Moore is on Delacroix, rather than his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Genealogy, and appears hopeful.
The jockey told Betfair: “He stepped back up to the mile at Leopardstown after landing his maiden over seven furlongs at the Curragh and stayed on really well after becoming a little outpaced early in the straight there. He sets a decent standard here.”
Appleby has also won the last three renewals of the Palace Pier Zetland Stakes but he is not represented this time around.
James Doyle fancies his chances on the Wathnan Racing-owned Dunamase, trained by John and Thady Gosden
“He ran well on debut at Sandown and then was a novice winner at Kempton, so obviously this is a jump into deeper waters and we will find out what level he is at,” said Doyle.
“We’re kind of unknown at the minute where we are with him, so we’re dipping our toes in a bit to find out.”
Again, O’Brien runs two, with Moore on Shackleton and Wayne Lordan on County Mayo.
“Shackleton got off the mark at the Curragh the last day when he was a decisive winner of a nine-furlong maiden after making all the running,” said Moore.
“A lovely Camelot colt who is a smart prospect for next year, he answered every call at the Curragh and was strong at the line.
“He probably sets the standard here. Our other runner, County Mayo, is out of a half-sister to Danedream and comes from a family with plenty of stamina in the pedigree.
“He took a nice step forward from his Tipperary debut to win in good fashion at Gowran Park last month and should run well.”
Ralph Beckett’s Starzintheireyes is another likely player.
