Hugo Palmer on QIPCO 2000 Guineas contender Set Piece HD

Hugo Palmer, who sent out Galileo Gold to win the 2000 Guineas three years ago, believes that Set Piece can take a step forward from his 3rd place in the Craven and make his mark in ‘wide-open’ Guineas. Looking back on his effort in the Craven Stakes, Palmer said he was “initially frustrated” but went on to add that “there were lots of positives to be taken out of it.” Palmer said: “I was very nervous about him hitting the front too soon and ultimately, that is what happened. It was his first ever run on turf and he ran to a much higher level than he had done previously so it was a big step forward. We hope he is going to keep stepping forward.” Palmer expects a big field to line up on Saturday which should lead to a strong early pace which will play into Set Piece’s strengths. “It’s going to be a big field and with half a million in prize money and a Guineas on the line, it’s unlikely that they’ll crawl. I think it will suit him very well as he is definitely a miler, and I think in time, he will get further as well.” When asked how Set Piece compares to Galileo Gold, Palmer was quick to distance the two, siting the lack of experience that the son of Dansili has compared to his Guineas hero. “Set Piece didn’t run until December because he picked up a really bad deep-seated stone bruise in the summer as a two-year-old and goes into Saturday having only his second run on turf. Galileo Gold went to Newmarket having already won a Group 2 and being placed in a Group 1. So, in terms of their progression they are very different but in terms of ability, I think it’s fair to say Set Piece is the only horse I have had either, before or after Galileo Gold, that I would have dared even work with Galileo Gold.” “Set Piece has got a long way to come to make it as a Group 1 horse, but we pray and hope that he can make that leap. Certainly, what he shows me at home I get a similar feeling about him.” Footage courtesy of JSC Communications --- Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2l9x35T Website: http://www.racingpost.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/RacingPostTV Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/racingpost Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2KEg3Eo Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2vq457o SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/racingpost