Hugo Palmer Royal Ascot Day Three blog: 'I think a strong pace over this stiff mile will be right up his street'

Hugo Palmer is back with an exclusive Coral blog, with the leading trainer running us through his runners on Day Three of Royal Ascot 2024, Chelmsford and Lingfield.

Watcha Matey has absolutely bolted up on his two starts so far this season, and he could hardly have pleased me any more this year. He’s ran well on all types of ground, but I think he’ll particularly enjoy this quick ground at Ascot, and this has been the plan for him for some time.

It’s obviously a big field, so it would be nice to get some cover and allow him to settle and deliver his challenge late, but he stayed 1m 1f very well at Musselburgh last time, so I think a strong pace over this stiff mile will be right up his street.

This contest obviously demands a lot more, but as I say, we’ve had this on our minds for him for some time, and I think he’s capable of running a really big race.

Under The Sun has always been a horse I’ve thought plenty of, and I think he’s a very big price for this at the time of writing. He fluffed his lines at Chelmsford on his first start, and then he did not like the soft ground at all at Sandown in the Classic Trial last time, so this return to quicker ground will be very much to his liking.

After Sandown, we’ve deliberately waited for this, and while he might have a bit to find on ratings, I am surprised to see we are the outsider of the whole field.

He’s been in excellent form at home in the last few weeks, he looks amazing in his coat at the moment, and I’m very hopeful that he can run a big race