'I expect I've made the most terrible balls up' - Hugo Palmer ruing Dewhurst decision after The Waco Kid's Group 3 win

Where next? That was the conundrum Hugo Palmer was faced with after The Waco Kid made all the running to land the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes.

Palmer, formerly based in Newmarket but now in charge at Michael Owen's Manor House Stables in Cheshire, was ruing the decision to take the winner out of the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes back on the Rowley Mile on October 12 and could now look to France for the winner, who carries the colours of the Gene Genies. 

"Oisin Murphy just got off and said, 'Is he in the Dewhurst?' But I expect I've made the most terrible balls [up] of it," said Palmer. "He did have an entry, but I think after he was only third at Listed level I took him out of the Dewhurst and the Lagardere. 

"There's the Criterium International, so we might go there as he handles soft ground, but we'll see. The Breeders' Cup is also an option. What's so lovely about him is that he gets better with every run."

Murphy made the most of his wide draw in stall six to take up pole position on the stands' rail and was never headed. 

The winning rider said: "With the ground the way it was, Hugo suggested making more use of him and trying to grab the rail. It worked well." 

Palmer landed a second winner on the card when Wonder Kid pulled well clear of his rivals under Harry Davies in the 1m4f handicap. 

Clover in clover

Ascot, Saudi Arabia and Dubai beckon for Al Nayyir after he turned the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes into a procession under Luke Morris. 

A head away from making his first start for Tom Clover a winning one in the Lonsdale Cup at York, the Elbashir Elhrari-owned six-year-old outclassed his rivals to set up a possible clash with Kyprios in next month's Group 2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

"He's a very exciting stayer and I couldn't have been more thrilled with the way he did it," said Clover. "We've got him in on Champions Day and that would be the logical next step, but I'd love to avoid Kyprios if we could."

Al Nayyir was cut to 7-1 (from 16) with Paddy Power for the Long Distance Cup, with Kyprios – who has the option of running in the Prix du Cadran on Saturday week – the 4-6 favourite.

Clover added: "We love to have these stakes horses and that's the direction we want to go. I'm thrilled to have the owner's support and to train a horse of this calibre."

Al Nayyir finished fourth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap at Riyadh and second in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan earlier in the year, and Clover said the same two races beckon in 2025. 

James joy

Sam James is making up for lost time and followed Wednesday's success in a £100,000 two-year-old race at Goodwood by making all the running to land the 6f handicap for fillies aboard Sophia's Starlight.

James returned to action on Tuesday having been handed a 34-day ban in August, nine of which were suspended, after falling foul of the totting-up whip rules for the second time in eight months but has made a swift return to the winner's enclosure. 

"It was a long time off but these things happen and hopefully I can learn from it and not do it again," said James, who carried the colours of the Nick Bradley racing syndicate to victory at both Goodwood and Newmarket. 

"It was good of Nick to put me straight back up after my suspension and I'm glad to repay him with a couple of winners straight away."

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Ground expected to stay soft at Newmarket this weekend with more heavy rain forecast 

'He looks the type to keep progressing' - why this horse can win the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket on Saturday 

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