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Hugo Palmer retains faith in Escobar

Frankie Dettori riding Escobar win The Denford Stud Washington Singer Stakes
Image: Escobar: Scoped dirty

Trainer Hugo Palmer is hopeful Escobar can "reignite the dream" next spring after an excuse was forthcoming for his disappointing performance at Newmarket on Thursday.

Having looked every inch a top-class prospect in winning his first two starts at Newbury, the Famous Name colt was a hot favourite to extend his unbeaten record in the Tattersalls Stakes, but trailed home seventh of the eight runners.

He returned a dirty scope later in the evening and Palmer has certainly not lost faith in his exciting youngster.

"I was obviously hugely disappointed as he's carried all before at home," said the trainer.

"We took him home, scoped him and he had mucus in his trachea. He's not really sick, but enough to stop him and enough for him to feel flat to Frankie (Dettori).

"Frankie did a wonderful job. If he'd beaten him up he could have finished fourth and left a sour taste in his mouth, but Frankie brought him home in his own time.

"You won't see him again this year, we'll put him away and try to reignite the dream in the spring.

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"My hope was that he'd have won yesterday and gone straight to the 2000 Guineas. We'll have to trial him in the spring now."

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