Royal Lodge winner Best Of Days to be aimed at Newbury Listed race after disappointing in Royal Ascot test
Steventon Stakes next on the agenda for trainer Hugo Palmer's Royal Lodge winner after his flop on reappearance in King Edward VII Stakes at Royal meeting
HUGO PALMER hopes a drop in class and trip can bring out the Best in his Royal Lodge winner.
Best Of Days won the Group 2 at Newmarket over a mile last September. But he was never competitive on his reappearance in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing last, nine lengths behind Permian.
That run was over a mile and a half, the son of Azamour will now be aimed at the Listed Bet365 Stakes, better known as the Steventon Stakes, over a mile and a quarter at Newbury on July 22.
Palmer said: "It was a messy race and it went badly for him. He was drawn wide and was a bit sluggish away but it was only his fourth run of his career.
"He has come back from it great but I think with him now we will go through his grades.
"He was taken out of the Irish Derby and going to the Eclipse would be a bit too much after that.
"I think the Steventon Stakes over ten furlongs at Newbury is where will go with him."
Plans are in place to step the recently-gelded Escobar, who finished down the field behind Le Brivido in the Jersey Stakes, back up to a mile for next month's Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.
Palmer added: "Was it the ground that beat him at Ascot? I don't know.
"I felt at the two-pole that we were going to win a Royal Ascot race. His head came up though and it didn't quite happen.
"Pat Smullen, who bred him, said he moved great on the ground and I am sure he will handle softer.
"He was gelded the Monday after Ascot as the trainer and the owners were blowing more than the horse after the race!
"The obvious race is going to be the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood over a mile and I think he will appreciate going round the bend like he did at Sandown."
