Seagulls Eleven all set to contest the Summer Mile at Ascot next month

The son of Galileo Gold, who is owned by past and present members of the Brighton & Hove Albion squad, has proven a revelation on track this season.

Since tasting a narrow defeat in the Group Two Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud, the four year old has claimed victory at Listed level in the Prix de Montretout at Longchamp and in the Group Three Betfred Diomed Stakes at Epsom Downs.

And now he will have his sights raised once more with Palmer keen to take aim at the £165,000 Group Two contest at the Berkshire venue on July 11.

Palmer said: “I feel we have finally got him right by restricting him to small fields on turning tracks.

“He has proved he is versatile as regards to ground. The interesting thing we would like to explore at some stage is a step up in trip as both Christophe Soumillon and Oisin Murphy said he is ready for a mile and quarter when you want.

“We will look at that as an option later down the line, but I’m happy to stay at a mile for now.

“The obvious spot for him is the Summer Mile. I heard the other day that More Thunder is probably going to go there, which is quite a scary thought.

“I thought More Thunder was the most likely winner of the Queen Anne and I suspect William Haggas is still scratching his head how he did win it.”

And should all go well on his next start it could see Seagulls Eleven return to Group One level to take on Bow Echo at Goodwood in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes, which his sire finished second back in 2016.

Palmer added: “He is in the Sussex Stakes, and if that was a small field, I would love to go back to Goodwood as his father got beat in the Sussex Stakes.

“I don’t suggest for a moment that we are good enough to hold a candle to Bow Echo, but Ten Bob Tony won the Queen Anne at a big price, and Qirat won the Sussex Stakes last year at a big price, so sometimes strange things can happen.”

Palmer's juvenile plans

Although out of luck at Royal Ascot the Malpas handler saw a number of his two-year-old team run well at the five-day meeting, highlighted by the second secured by Adaay Of Scarlett in the Group Two Coventry Stakes.

Another Group Two outing beckons for the Mehmas colt in the Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes at Newmarket, while stablemate Sale Shark, who finished fifth in the Windsor Castle will stay at the same level for the Apple Print & Creative Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury.

Palmer said: “Adaay Of Scarlett is super and you wouldn’t know he has had a race. He is all here and now. I think we are lucky again to have a nice handful of two year olds so there will be a little bit of trying to keep them apart.

“I think Sale Shark, who won his side and finished fifth in the Windsor Castle, will go to the Rose Bowl at Newbury which leaves open the July Stakes for Adaay of Scarlett.

“I think that is the obvious spot for the horse that finished second in the Coventry Stakes to go. He is likely to meet the horse of Charlie Appleby’s (Inner City Blues) that beat Stardom Glory at York, and I’m sure he will meet other smart horses as well.

“He will probably head there and then on to the Richmond at Goodwood depending on how it goes at Newmarket.”

The Classic winning handler also predicts a bright future for recent Carlisle scorer Mia Fantasia with Palmer earmarking the Group Two Coral Vintage Stakes at Goodwood or the Listed Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot.

He added: “I was thinking of running Mia Fantasia in the Superlative, but I’m not sure he knows enough for a race like that.

“I thought he would win very well at Carlisle and then go to the Superlative. He was 33-1 in running, having missed the start, and giving the leader a good few lengths.

“He ended up winning by two and a half lengths going away with one tickle.

"We might run him in a novice under a penalty around that time of the Superlative and then look at either the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood or the Pat Eddery at Ascot.”

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