Glorious Goodwood: Galileo Gold on track for Qatar Sussex Stakes bid

Galileo Gold wins at Goodwood last year / Picture by Louise Adams

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Trainer Hugo Palmer today declared himself '˜very happy' with Galileo Gold's progress ahead of his bid to land the Â£1m race at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The three-year-old winner of the 2,000 Guineas and St James’ Palace Stakes is bidding for a famous treble in Glorious Goodwood’s showpiece contest on Wednesday, July 27.

Galileo Gold won one of the festival’s two-year-old races a year ago and is owned by Sheikh Joann, the man at the centre of the megabucks ten-year Qatar sponsorship deal. The horse has even been used as the ‘pin-up’ of the event, featuring in an image by fine art specialist Ripley in promotional material.

Palmer, speaking at the press launch of the second Qatar Goodwood Festival, said: “I am very happy with Galileo Gold. There is a very nice break between Royal Ascot and Goodwood, five weeks between the races which is perfect.

“He had an easy time of things after Royal Ascot and we are going through the process of actually building him up. He ran three Group One races within six weeks which is quite a big ask for any horse.

“He takes his work well - we weighed him this (Monday) morning and he was 15 kilograms heavier than last Sunday. It is not fat - he hasn’t had a day off and it is not overweight.

“He is growing and getting stronger and bigger- it is like a body-builder going to the gym. He had two serious bits of work last week and acquitted himself very well in both of them. And rather than running up light, he goes straight into his feed-trough and puts on more weight.

“On the rare occasions I go to the gym, you see people taking these protein drinks and shakes to build their muscle and it is exactly what he is doing.

“These very young horses are changing week-to-week, month-to-month - they are still learning a lot and we are still learning about them - you can only find out on the track.”