Hugo Palmer faces Platinum Jubilee temptation with promising Brad The Brief

Hugo Palmer faces a tough Royal Ascot decision with his promising sprinter Brad The Brief, who could bypass the Wokingham in favour of the Platinum Jubilee provided conditions fall right.

Previously trained by Tom Dascombe, Brad The Brief downed Glen Shiel on return in a Haydock conditions race and bettered that effort by landing the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh, a run that surprised his trainer.

"To be totally honest, I went to Ireland thinking he couldn't win, but because the ground was right he could run well," said Palmer. "He went there and produced a career best and I was left exposed by not having Group 1 entries for him, unfortunately."

His sole entry at Royal Ascot is the Wokingham Handicap, where he is a general 14-1 chance, but Palmer is facing the temptation to supplement his improving five-year-old for the Platinum Jubilee Stakes and he may not be able to shy away if the going comes up in his favour.

Brad The Brief: a potential Platinum Jubilee horse?Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Palmer added: "It's an enormous ask to win these handicaps off top weight and he's not the biggest horse. He is now rated 117 and the penalty structure means he'd run off 114. If there was a good claimer, he could run off 111 or even 109, which was his rating before he went to Ireland.

"There would be a temptation, if the ground came up soft, to supplement for the Platinum Jubilee. With the best will in the world, he'd probably have to improve another 10lb to beat the likes of Home Affairs, but they say you shouldn't be afraid of one horse and he needs to travel."

Another giving Palmer cause for excitement is Dubawi Legend, who finished second to Native Trail in last year's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

He made his reappearance in the 2,000 Guineas where stalls trouble ultimately put pay to his chances, but Palmer is hopeful those issues have been ironed out.

"We've done a lot of stalls work with him and Tom Marquand said he was very tense in the stalls. He's such an honest, sweet and giving horse that he walks straight into the gates, if you ask him to do something he does it, but he stood in there terrified.

"We've done a lot of work with that and he seems much more relaxed and he went very well in his barrier trial. He'll work towards the end of the week and head for the Jersey.

"Provided the reason he raced like he did in the Guineas was because of an abscess brewing and that he got upset in the stalls, I think he could be quite a potent force."

Third in the Chester Cup on his most recent start, Rajinsky is another key component to Palmer's squad, but he will need a small slice of luck to reach his intended target of the Ascot Stakes.

"If he gets into the race, I think he'll run a very big race," said Palmer, though if luck is not on his side, the Northumberland Plate could be the next run for his promising stayer.

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