Gosden planning Royal Ascot curtain-raiser for Palladium

John Gosden is in no rush with high-profile new recruit Palladium, who is likely to have Royal Ascot on his agenda later this summer.

The German Derby winner was subject of a €1.4million transfer to the ownership of Lady Bamford in the autumn and subsequently joined Nicky Henderson, where he made one outing over hurdles before a tilt at the Triumph Hurdle was scuppered by a late setback.

The Gleneagles colt has now switched to Clarehaven, where attentions are turned back to the Flat, with his new team thinking of a tilt at the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting.

“He might run later in May and we will just see. Since he came to me I’ve just taken my time with him, building him up and there is no rush at all,” said Gosden, who trains the four-year-old alongside son Thady.

“He’s a good looking, charming horse and a pleasure to have around. We’ll be looking at the Harwicke with him, that’s the sort of area we’ll be looking at.”

The Gosdens also have Royal Ascot in mind for Prince Of Wales’s Stakes entrant Ombudsman.

The son of Night Of Thunder impressed when going unbeaten at three and is poised to return at Sandown on May 29 in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes.

“Hopefully Ombudsman will run in the Brigadier Gerard as a prep to move on to Royal Ascot,” continued Gosden.

“He’s well in himself at the moment and interestingly the races for older horses over middle distances are all Ascot-onwards and there is nothing really before to suit.

“That is why we have deliberately planned to bring him out in late May and then on to Ascot.

“He’s a talented colt who always appreciates a little bit of give in the ground and we’re aiming for Sandown.”