July Stakes under consideration for Adaay Of Scarlett

Hugo Palmer is contemplating a tilt at the Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes at Newmarket for his speedy juvenile Adaay Of Scarlett.

Having won his first two races at Newmarket at Ascot, the Mehmas colt was beaten in his Royal Ascot prep race at Sandown and was subsequently sent off at 40-1 for the Coventry Stakes.

However, he outran those odds with a brilliant effort to finish a half-length second to Aidan O’Brien’s Great Barrier Reef.

“Adaay Of Scarlett improved no end for going up in trip,” said Palmer.

“I think it is probably fair to say he was advantaged by his stall position, but the overwhelming majority of the field were on that side and he didn’t make the running – he had to come through and he was very tough.

“We felt on the day that he’d thought he’d won his race, he didn’t see the winner who nabbed him late. To say he was unlucky would be unfair but he didn’t get the chance to fight back, so to that extent he was a slightly unfortunate loser.

“Because he’d already been beaten at Listed level I hadn’t put him in the Prix Robert Papin or the Phoenix Stakes in Ireland whereas Sale Shark, who won his side in the Windsor Castle, is in the Phoenix.

“I think Sale Shark will go to the Rose Bowl at Newbury next, which leaves the possibility of supplementing Adaay Of Scarlett for the Papin. However, I believe an unpenalised Orthodox is going there so I’m not sure I want to do that and I’d have thought the July Stakes (July 9) looks the obvious one for us.”

Another Manor House Stables inmate to perform well in defeat at the Royal meeting was Fitzella, who led the field a merry dance for much of the way in the Commonwealth Cup before being headed and then running on gamely to finish fifth.

Options back at five furlongs are now being considered, including the Nunthorpe at York, but she will first go back against her own sex on the Knavesmire next month.

“Fitzella put up a huge performance and she will almost certainly go to the Summer Stakes at York (July 10) next,” Palmer continued.

“The Nunthorpe hasn’t closed yet but I did put her in the King George at Goodwood. If she runs well at York, even if she doesn’t win, we can give her the Nunthorpe entry.

“What was interesting about her run at Ascot was she finished about the same distance behind Venetian Sun as she did in the Albany 12 months ago, but last year Venetian Sun towered over her. She looked like a four-year-old against babies, but this year there wasn’t much between them.

“Venetian Sun is still a beautiful filly and a remarkable horse to boot, but Fitzella has grown in a way I wasn’t sure she was going to, so it gives real hope for not only the rest of this year but that she’ll train on at four.”

Palmer was also thrilled by the performance of Glacius in the Hampton Court on his first run of the season.

“It was a tremendous run, most of ours ran super at the meeting to be fair,” he added.

“We felt afterwards that had he been able to have a run prior to the race or even had a clear run in the race, he might have won. Being stopped in his run, having to regather, all on his first run for 250 days was just too many obstacles, but we were delighted.

“He hadn’t taken a lame step but he just wasn’t there, he hadn’t blossomed. We had to be incredibly patient and let him come before we could really train him and that happened in the last four weeks, we couldn’t have run him any sooner.”