Hugo Palmer Saturday runners blog - October 17, 2026

Hugo Palmer has one runner on Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The leading trainer and Coral ambassador previews the horse, Adaay Of Scarlett, in his latest exclusive blog.

• Adaay Of Scarlett - Ascot - 12.55 race odds

Ascot 12.55 – Adaay Of Scarlett

This is a strange race as it’s a conditions race without any conditions, so we have horses who have won Group races like the July Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes running here without a penalty, which is an oddity, but that was the case last year also when this race was run for the first time, and we finished second that day with Ardisia, so we’ll have another go with this horse.

Having not finished out of the first two in his first six starts, he has disappointed us on his most recent three starts.  After defeat in the Richmond Stakes, which Oisin [Murphy] felt he should have won, we put blinkers on him, we put cheekpieces on him, but as they haven’t really worked, this time we’ll run him without any extra gear.

He’s also been gelded since his last run, which I hope will make a difference, and he seems in good form at home.  He’s run well in two starts at Ascot, he should like the nice ground, and I hope he can run a good race.