Irish Legend delights Palmer with winning start at Nottingham

Keith Hamer
October 7, 2020 3:15 pm

‘He’s a lovely horse and I hope he’s got a bright future’.

Hugo Palmer sees Irish Legend as a horse for the future after the two-year-old colt made a winning debut at Nottingham.

The son of Sea The Stars is related to Palmer’s 2015 Irish Oaks heroine Covert Love and the Newmarket handler hopes Irish Legend can develop into a smart performer in his own right after getting his career off to the perfect start.

Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the British EBF Oath Maiden Stakes over an extended mile, Irish Legend joined the leader Royal Touch over a furlong out and was able to assert close home to score by a neck in the hands of Andrea Atzeni.

“He’s a lovely horse and I hope he’s got a bright future,” said Palmer.

“He’s related to Covert Love who was our first top-class horse and we keep dreaming he can be one too.

Lovely debut – Irish Legend (Sea The Stars) is related to the yard’s Classic winner Covert Love and makes the perfect start for @Atzenijockey and @hpalmerracing at @NottsRacecourse pic.twitter.com/phYEPOyglA

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 7, 2020

“He’s very much next year’s horse. We’re running out of year a bit.”

Even so, Palmer will consider whether to give Irish Legend a second outing this term.

“Whether we go again under a penalty or have a look at the Silver Tankard at Pontefract would all be possibilities,” he said.

“The temptation to put him away and give us something to dream about over the winter would be strong too, but we’ll see how he takes the race. He’s done well today in testing ground. We’ll just see.”

He added: “I think he’ll stay well and will get a mile and a half. I know he’s out of an Invincible Spirit mare but her sister stayed well and Seas The Stars is a good influence for stamina, as we know.”