Hugo Palmer Newmarket Blog | 2000 Guineas Day

03 May 2025
Coral Racing Ambassador, Hugo Palmer, provides an exclusive preview of his two runners on 2000 Guineas Day at Newmarket, including the exciting Seagulls Eleven, who features in the main race of the day.

15:35 Newmarket (2000 Guineas) – Seagulls Eleven

Seagulls Eleven is in super order. He did his last piece of serious work a week ago, and we were delighted with how that went, and how things have gone with him since then, so now we keep everything crossed for the final 24 hours. I’m very happy with how he looks, and his work this spring has been right out of the top drawer. We won this race nine years ago with this horse’s father [Galileo Gold], they are not greatly similar types, although I hope they share a level of class required to win this.

There are only eleven runners, but they bring lots of interesting form lines to the race. I do believe we’re involved in the strongest form line, and my view is whatever beats Scorthy Champ will win here, and we only have a length and half to find with him from the National Stakes, and we were severely hampered by the runner-up, Henri Matisse, that day.

I’m happy to put a line through his Breeders’ Cup run, as things never went his way, and he’s a bigger, stronger horse now. He should see out the mile well, and love the forecast quick ground, it was too slow for him in the Dewhurst last year.

It’s really exciting to be involved in a race like this, and even more so with what I believe is a horse with a valid chance of winning. 

17:50 Newmarket – He’s A Gentleman

He’s A Gentleman is well named as he’s a grand old servant. He probably prefers the all-weather these days but he will love the quick ground here. He does much of his work as Seagulls Eleven’s lead horse, so it’s fitting they can run on the same card.

He’s ridden in pieces of work at the Craven meeting for the last three years, each time by Michael Hills [ex-jockey] and he’s always said he’d love to see him run on the Rowley Mile, so let’s hope he’s right, and he can run really well.

Hugo Palmer, Coral Racing Ambassador
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