GB: Classic-winning trainer Hugo Palmer has completed one of the most unexpected transfers of the season after his signing by Michael Owen to run the former football star’s Cheshire stables.
Palmer was handed the keys on Tuesday and will start the process of moving his string out of Newmarket over the coming days to Manor House Stables in Malpas, where he succeeds Tom Dascombe.
By the time that process has been completed he expects to have up to 140 horses in training, of which around 80 will be two-year-olds.
Over 11 seasons Palmer operated a highly successful yard in Newmarket, producing stars such as 2015 Irish Oaks winner Covert Love, Galileo Gold – who landed the 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes in 2016 – and last year’s G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Ebro River.
The 41-year-old wasn’t seeking a change until Owen got in touch at the end of last year. “Michael asked me in early December whether I would come and train for him after he and Tom parted company,” he explained.
“I told him it was just too complicated but then he rang me again in January. He asked again and this time said I should at least give the idea proper consideration. I talked through the advantages and potential disadvantages with my wife. Really, what it came down to was not ‘why do it?’ but ‘why not do it?’
“The only reason not to do it was it was going to be a lot of hard work, a lot of upheaval and a lot of effort – but a lot of effort is not a good reason not to do it.
“So I said to Michael I would come and see the place and if I could satisfy myself that I could do the job every bit as well, if not better, in Cheshire and I could persuade my owners to continue to support me and we could agree terms, then we’d do it. All the boxes were ticked and here we are on my first day in charge.”
Palmer added: “We were not looking for a change and had been very happy in Newmarket and it never occurred to me that I would be changing. What I’ll be doing in my early 40s is effectively selling my business and carrying on what I am doing but for a salary. It was too good an opportunity to miss.”
Palmer is set to move around 60 horses, including Ebro River, Dewhurst Stakes runner-up Dubawi Legend and Hierarchy, beaten a head in the Mill Reef Stakes, to join the 80 horses who were in training in Cheshire.
He is already planning for the early weeks of the Flat turf season, including for his now local meeting at Chester in May, where Derby entry Mr McCann, owned by a group of Liverpool footballers, could tackle the Dee Stakes and Rajinsky may run in the Chester Cup.
French 2,000 Guineas entry Flaming Rib is being lined up for the Greenham, while Al Shaqab’s Ebro River will have a sprint campaign.
“We tried seven furlongs twice last year with Ebro River and the first time was a moderate success and second time an abject failure,” said Palmer.
“He is going down the sprinting route. It wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t run him in the Commonwealth Cup and instead dropped him back to five furlongs for the King’s Stand Stakes. He has speed to burn.”
Owen, the former Liverpool and England star, has enjoyed Classic success with Brown Panther, the 2014 Irish St Leger winner that he bred and owned, and Palmer sees no reason why he can’t add to the stable tally away from Newmarket.
“The facilities here are magnificent," he said. "It’s a wonderful gallop. I don’t think there would have been many Classic runners from yards in Cheshire, but one thing I’m absolutely certain about, it’s not the postcode that’s holding them back.
“Dubawi Legend is firmly on track for the 2,000 Guineas, but although he was the equal second-best two-year-old in Europe, he will have to improve. I very much hope that we can prove this year and in many subsequent years that if we’ve got the tools, we can do the job.”
• Visit the Manor House Stables website
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