Hugo Palmer© Photo Healy Racing
Seagulls Eleven could attempt to find the scoresheet in the Virgin Bet Solario Stakes after finishing a fine second in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
Owned by a group of Brighton and Hove Albion players – including James Milner and Danny Welbeck – and the sporting the club’s blue and white stripes, the football stars could have a promising colt on their hands.
He impressed when getting off the mark at the second attempt at Haydock and was sent off 5-1 for his first foray into Group Two company on the July Course, giving Charlie Appleby’s well-regarded Ancient Truth something to think about.
It was a performance that allows connections to dream big and with races like the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy all possibilities for later in the season, immediate thoughts have turned to a trip to Sandown on August 31 for a race Hugo Palmer won 10 years ago with Aktabantay.
Palmer said: “He ran a lovely race, he’s a really big horse and I think his best days are all ahead of him.
“I think he is progressive, I think he will keep on improving and I think he will get a mile this year. I know some suggested coming back in trip, but I don’t see that and I’m sure he will get a mile before the year is out, that is what Rossa Ryan said after getting off him at Newmarket.
“He could go to Goodwood, but the Goodwood seven furlongs is a bit sharper than the Newmarket seven furlongs and I think we will most likely end up going to the Solario Stakes with him.
“We won the Solario 10 years ago with Aktabantay, who had also been second in the Superlative, and trainers are creatures of habit. I expect we will do the same thing.”
On targets later in the year, he went on: “The Futurity Trophy at Doncaster would be a possibility, the Jean-Luc Lagardere, there’s also a mile race at Del Mar in November as well and he could go to the Breeders’ Cup.
“I wouldn’t have thought he would run more than three more times this year and I would say twice is more likely – Solario and then once more most likely.”
Seagulls Eleven’s Newmarket conqueror is the 10-1 market leader in places for next year’s 2000 Guineas and Palmer has high hopes the runner-up will also begin next season in Classic company, where he could get the chance to replicate the exploits of his Guineas and Royal Ascot-winning sire Galileo Gold.
He continued: “We’re probably going to want to start his three-year-old campaign in a Guineas – England, Ireland or France.
“The Rowley Mile is a different track but he certainly handled Newmarket OK in the Superlative, so he is an exciting horse.”
Seagulls Eleven is one of three horses owned by the Two Plus Three Two Plus Four partnership made up of Brighton players, with Milner persuading his new teammates at the Premier League outfit to join the ownership ranks at Manor House.
“Seagulls Eleven is owned by 11 Brighton players and it is headed up by James Milner,” added Palmer.
“James had some horses here from his time at Liverpool and when he moved to Brighton, he managed to sow the seed in another dressing room.
“They have three horses – this horse, The Flying Seagull who is already a winner and Seagolazo who is yet to win but I don’t think it will be long.”
