Palmarion to continue fast start for Gosdens.

I have been watching with interest the horses sent to pos from the Gosden yard this year after they had a very good set of results on the AW at the back end of 2024.

As with nearly all top yards January and February is merely a ticking over exercise but in March i have seen a level of performance so far that suggests in 2025 they maybe reverting back to the policy of pre 2022 when the horses hit the ground running from the start of the turf season.

In 2021 they sent out 23 winners in April. In 2022 10 winners in 2023 and 2024 they sent out 10 and 12.

In the three seasons they never really recovered especially, in 2024 when only one month did they hit a winning strike rate of over 20%. and an overall strike rate of under 14% for the rest of the season. In previous years the average throughout the season has always been over 20% and in the peak summer months rarely dropped below 25%

The signs that changes have been made is suggested by the winners so far March currently 33% a figure only bettered in 2021 when they sent out 6 winners from 14 and was then followed by their best April with 23

Which leads us onto Palmarion in the 3.05 Doncaster Sunday. Owned by Goldophin they have sent 6 horses in the last 8 years to contest the 7F contest.

The record is WWW233. The 3 winners all heavily backed favourites

Last year Strong Opinion a 1,000,000 purchase was also a well backed favourite but ran poorly finishing 3rd and hasn’t seen the racetrack since.

The other two runners – one came second beaten by a Gosden trained horse,on bottomless ground and the other was 3rd but was relatively unfancied at 11/2 and then won next time out.

Palmarion has the best form in the race and ran a great race first time out albeit finishing 4th at Newmarket. He finished just behind Crown of Oaks who is thought to be a potential group horse by the Haggas yard and the winner is highly rated possible classic contender for Goldophin and Charley Appleby

I expect there to be plenty of support for Palmarion but hopefully around 7/4 in the opening shows.

The headwind which made a lottery of the racing on Saturday is due to turn to a tail wind – which makes it more feasible to back one at a shorter price.

Recommended Bet 4pt win Palmarion 3.05 Doncaster Sunday.