Tricky Tel cut for Royal Ascot target after landing 'really important win' for Hugo Palmer and Michael Owen

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Tricky Tel delivered when it mattered to earn a place in Friday's Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot, for which he was cut to 16-1 (from 25).

Trained by Hugo Palmer, the three-year-old was returning to a track where he had won twice as a juvenile and was running over his shortest trip since winning over 5½f on his debut.

The drop posed no problem as David Probert sent him to the front inside the final half-furlong before going on to score by a neck in the 5f handicap.

"That was a really important win," Palmer told Sky Sports Racing. "He won here twice last year but he was scratched by the stewards before he was going to run in the Coventry and we struggled a bit from a soundness point of view.

"We had to win today to get a penalty to get into the Holyroodhouse, which is very much the plan, so I was delighted he didn't have to have a hard run. He won quite cosily but would've learned a lot taking on the old boys."

Joy for Jeddaal

Ashley Lewis was successful on his sole ride on the card, partnering the Ed Walker-trained Jeddaal to a comfortable success in the feature race.

The 5lb claimer, who was having only his ninth ride at the track, recorded his fourth victory there when the gelding landed the 7½f handicap.

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