Home of Brave puts icing on cake for trainer Hugo Palmer

Racing correspondent English trainer Hugo Palmer put a perfect Group

Three ribbon on his classic-winning Curragh weekend with Home Of The Brave’s dominant display yesterday.

Less than 24 hours after Covert Love spectacularly rewarded her connections' €40,000 supplementary gamble in the Darley Irish Oaks, Palmer's Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes hero looked an aptly named winner after making most of the running under James Doyle.

Certainly in securing a maiden Group One success, Newmarket-based Palmer (34) admitted to pinching himself after such a perfect weekend.

“I thought he’d win – but I didn’t think he’d win like that!” he gasped after Home Of The Brave beat the favourite Gordon Lord Byron by three-and-a-half lengths.

“He showed amazing speed as a yearling. He was terrifyingly quick. But my head girl has been a huge part in teaching him to settle. He did that perfectly – went down like a lamb, came back like a lamb and quickened away.

“He’s the second Group-winning son of Starspangledbanner from 27 foals. We’ll look to upgrade him as stallion and the Hungerford looks an obvious target. The Prix Maurice de Gheest might be his Group One next year.”

Adding Covert Love to September’s Doncaster St Leger will be considered, but Palmer also reported: “We might see what the weather does in August and maybe think about the Yorkshire Oaks.”

Pat Smullen had a proven Group One record long before Saturday but Covert Love’s jockey was also still basking in his latest classic glory which was the centrepiece of a 391/1 hat-trick on the day.

“It’s always great to win a classic on your home track,” said Ireland’s seven-time champion jockey after Covert Love’s 7/1 defeat of Jack Naylor and Curvy. The 2,000 Guineas is now the only Irish classic Smullen has yet to win.

Enhanced

The 38-year-old’s status as this country’s top jockey was further enhanced on Saturday with a Group Two Sapphire Stakes victory on Stepper Point and Smullen goes into next week’s Galway festival over 20 winners clear of his nearest rival in this season’s championship after adding to his tally with Digeanta in yesterday’s two-mile handicap.

“They went a strong pace and that’s what he needs in his races so it worked out perfectly,” said Smullen.

Jim Bolger’s wife, Jackie, saw her colours carried an early double, although it was Brendan Duke who did the training honours with Leath Na Hoibre in the Nursery.

Bolger’s son-in-law Kevin Manning was also on board the newcomer Leafy Shade who picked up 33/1 quotes for next year’s 1,000 Guineas and Oaks after a narrow win in the juvenile maiden.

“Hopefully she’s a filly with a future,” said the trainer. “She would have no problem with another furlong or a mile.”