Hugo Palmer eyes Melbourne Cup tilt with Wall Of Fire
Wednesday 30 August 2017 16:34, UK
Hugo Palmer will only consider giving Wall Of Fire an outing before the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington if it is necessary to guarantee his place in the line-up.
Plans are in place to ship the son of Canford Cliffs out to Australia at the end of next month to start his preparations for the big race in Australia on November 7.
The four-year-old booked his ticket Down Under after finishing second in the Geoffrey Stakes at Newbury.
Palmer said: "I was delighted with his run at Newbury. I think he was coming to win his race and he had the door shut firmly in his face, but that was just race riding.
"I'm sure that the connections of the winner (Defoe) would have said that if he had got to him he would have pulled out more but who knows as we won't be able to ask that question.
"From experience, Wall Of Fire finishes his races with a rattle and he was definitely checked in running.
"He won't run again in Britain but he has qualified for the Melbourne Cup now and he is a little bit of a talking horse down there. He will be shipped out on September 28.
"Conceivably, he could run again if he needs to get a penalty to make sure he gets in the race, but he is on 52 kilograms and that's got in the race in the past.
"He will have a better chance with the lighter the weight he has. The race has been his goal all season."
