Hugo Palmer impressed by Acomb contender Dubawi Legend

HUGO Palmer believes Dubawi Legend’s ability to “quicken twice” bodes well for an exciting future – starting with the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York on Wednesday.

Already third-favourite with a host of firms for the Qipco 2000 Guineas, the two-year-old was an impressive five-length winner on his debut at Doncaster.

And Palmer feels the Group Three over seven furlongs is the logical next step. “He’s done two proper bits of work since Doncaster and they’ve gone very well,” said the trainer.

“Everything has been smooth - he’s trained very well, I think he’s come forward and he’s tightened up a bit. I think there is still a great deal to come for him.

“York is a wonderful track and the Acomb is the most obvious race. It’s the next step and I think he’s ready to take it.

“He quickened twice at Doncaster – he quickened to the lead and he quickened again when James (Doyle) got about him. It’s rare for a horse to be able to quicken once. Very rare – I think – for a horse to be able to quicken twice. Things can go wrong, of course they can, but it would have been very disappointing had he not won very well on what he had shown us at home.

“We thought he might get a chance to start over six furlongs before Ascot, but he managed to give himself a haematoma on his quarters. That held him up for a couple of weeks, which was probably the making of him.

“He’s a very fast horse with a very quick action and an electric turn of foot. Everything in his pedigree and everything I know about him points to him being a miler and that’s what we’ll be determined for him to be.”

Palmer already houses one very smart juvenile in Phoenix Stakes winner Ebro River, but the trainer does not see any similarities between the pair.

“Not really, no. They live next door to each other, but they’ve never worked together and they’re a different colour,” he said. “Dubawi Legend has always been a consummate professional from day one whereas Ebro River has been a work in progress. They’re just different types.”

Meanwhile Malton trainer John Quinn’s Mr Wagyu is a leading light for today’s William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

The gelding is already a dual winner at the track and produced a career-best performance to win the Stewards’ Sprint at Goodwood under Jason Hart.

It is a measure of how dominant Mr Wagyu was that day that the handicapper has seen fit to hand him an 8lb hike, but it might not be enough to stop him.