Roaring Legend in line for lofty targets after Lingfield romp

Hugo Palmer’s Roaring Legend could now have lucrative options overseas after sauntering to victory in the BetUK AWC Marathon Trial Handicap at Lingfield.

The five-year-old joined Palmer after a National Hunt campaign with Olly Murphy and hit his stride instantly with a six-length triumph on his stable debut at Wolverhampton in early January.

He was triumphant again next time out at Newcastle, defeating Wise Eagle by half a length over two miles and half a furlong when giving weight to all rivals bar the runner-up.

Roaring Legend left the stalls at Lingfield a 7-2 shot under David Probert, though Palmer expected his odds to be far shorter, and the son of Roaring Lion made exceptionally light work of the task under top weight.

His five-length win came at a canter and affirmed Palmer’s belief that he ought to be a firm favourite, with the horse now likely destined for greater things as the inevitable hike in the handicap he will receive could force the hand of connections.

“We were pretty confident going into the race, the only worry I had is that I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t the even-money favourite,” the trainer said.

“He won as he liked at Wolverhampton and he won as he liked at Newcastle, I couldn’t see another horse in the race that could beat him. I’m not a gambler but he was an absolute gift, I’m delighted with him.

“He’s probably nearly out of handicaps now. He has an entry in the Dubai Gold Cup, I would have thought now that he’s three from three and surely going to be rated in the hundreds, there’d be plenty of people that would fancy him.

“I don’t know what’s going to turn up but the staying races have had small fields in Dubai, he would have to get invited but I’m sure we’d be very keen to go.

“I love the way he travels; he’s got great gate speed, puts himself anywhere in the race and travels and travels and travels.”

Beyond the Dubai Gold Cup, and the possibility of a return to Newcastle on Good Friday for All-Weather Championships Finals Day, there is a longer-term plan taking shape, as Palmer feels the grey could prove a good candidate for the Melbourne Cup in November.

“To me, he screams Melbourne Cup,” said the trainer.

“From everything I know about him, he’s very sound, I haven’t had him that long but – touch wood – he’s never taken a lame step all that time.

“I’d have thought he stood a very good chance of not only getting through the vet checks for Australia, but also withstanding the extraordinary rigours of the track there.

“We’ve got to look at qualifying him now, he probably needs to be rated 110 or 111 and pass the ballot as well, but I’d have thought that’s the direction our attention is going to turn in.

“He’s been exciting from the moment he turned up, we thought about the Chester Cup and the All-Weather Finals but he’s won by five lengths off top weight – the handicapper is going to give him a hefty rise.

“He’ll have a lot of weight but it could still be an option, potentially after Dubai, who knows?”