‘Everything’ to be discussed as Galileo Gold team look forward following Newbury defeat
GALILEO GOLD might be given a run in a lower grade to regain his confidence following his latest defeat in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Trainer Hugo Palmer stressed that is one of the options to be discussed with connections in a bid to revive the career of last season's 2000 Guineas hero.
Galileo Gold has now been beaten in all his four starts since he won the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer.
Palmer feels there is a possibility Galileo Gold prefers a round mile to a straight course, despite his Classic success at Newmarket.
"He's pulled up in good shape. Like his team he's a little bit deflated, but he's sound and he ate up and we look forward to another day," he said.
"Royal Ascot is obviously an option. I know he won the 2000 Guineas last year, but conceivably the best run of his two-year-old career was at Goodwood. The St James's Palace he won last year was over the old (round) mile and the Queen Anne is over the new mile (on the straight course).
"This all needs to be discussed. There's a lot of water to flow under the bridge. There's just a chance the horse might be better with a bend. He ran very well in the Sussex last year.
MOST READ
"We've got a month to Ascot. Every stone will be turned and we'll discuss everything.
"I suppose there's also the option, after a series of disappointments now, that we might like to give him a penalty kick in a lower grade race to help the horse regain his confidence.
"That's an option that has yet to be discussed, but it's something that will be on the table."
Harry Herbert, racing manager for owners Al Shaqab Racing, confirmed all options would be discussed for Galileo Gold.
"It's a shame because he's physically done very well and Frankie (Dettori) said he could not operate on that ground. It was very sticky ground and I wouldn't rule him out just because of that run," he said.
"We've got to get him back on decent ground and take a view about whether we go to Royal Ascot or whether take another route.
"It was a shame as he was in such good form. We will regroup and have another shot. Maybe he'd be better on a turning track, we'll see.
"I think a race like the Sussex will be an important target. We've just got to get our heads round it."
Herbert also suggested last year's Coronation Stakes winner Qemah, owned by Al Shaqab and trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, could be set to take on the boys in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, following her seasonal debut at Lingfield earlier this month.