HUGO Palmer feels Galileo Gold is getting stronger every week as he continues to build up towards the Qatar Sussex Stakes. The son of Paco Boy will bid for a third Group 1 success of the campaign in the one-mile prize, for which he is the general 7-4 favourite, on July 27.

Despite having met with defeat in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, having previously landed the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the three-year-old bounced back with victory in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Palmer said: "I'm very happy with him. There is a really nice break between Ascot and Goodwood. We weigh the horses every Monday and he was 15 kilograms heavy this Monday than he was the last one. He is not getting fat as he has had not had a day off.

"He is growing and getting bigger and stronger - like a bodybuilder going to the gym. He had two bits of work last week and acquitted himself well. Every week goes by he gets stronger."

Galileo Gold is once again likely to lock horns with St James's Palace runner-up The Gurkha, but the Newmarket handler believes there is no reason why he cannot confirm his supremacy over the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt.

He added: "He had the widest draw at Ascot and jumped out quickly. He showed remarkable speed in the early part of the race. As soon as he got in the straight on the better ground, he kicked from the front.

"Frankie (Dettori) insists that Galileo Gold was idling in front and Frankie was adamant that if The Gurkha had come to him he would have had more gears to go to the line. I think Awtaad (third) stopping towards the run to the line heightened the impression of The Gurkha catching us."

Palmer also has Home Of The Brave entered in the £1 million contest, but feels the Qatar Lennox Stakes 24 hours earlier is the more sensible option for the four-year-old.

He added: "I was hoping to run him in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh and I had thought about the Criterion (Newmarket). He had a little run on a joint which got slightly infected and he was not quite himself, so that is why we didn't supplement him for the July Cup. I don't know whether he will run in the Sussex Stakes or the Lennox. I'd prefer to run as favourite in the Lennox over chucking him in as a 20-1 shot for the Sussex Stakes."

The Gurkha was turned over at odds-on on his first try at a mile and a quarter in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, but O'Brien reports the French 2000 Guineas hero in top form ahead of his return to a mile.

He said: "The Gurkha seems to be in good order. This is another test for him. He has come back well after the Eclipse and we are very happy with him so far at home."

O'Brien was equally upbeat about 1000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Minding in her bid to follow up her impressive success in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in the Qatar Nassau Stakes on July 30.

The Ballydoyle handler said: "She does not take a lot of work at home. She's been freshened up nicely and we are looking forward to the Nassau Stakes."