Hugo Palmer strengthens ties with champion apprentice Josephine Gordon

Champion apprentice Flat jockey Josephine Gordon will play an increasingly prominent role at Hugo Palmer's Classic-winning yard in Newmarket.Gordon has already developed a strong alliance with Palmer, but she will now become a "major part of the team"."I'm going to pay her to work for me.Josephine will be riding out at Kremlin Cottage Stables every morning, in a similar way to how Pat Cosgrave does for William Haggas and Robert Havlin does for John Gosden," the trainer told the Sun. "Skilled people make good horses.She will get lots of opportunities, and lots of my owners want to use her. "She's not going to be my stable jockey or what I would describe as number one, but she will be a major part of the team."Now she's ridden out her claim this will make things more official."She's fully aware that on big days someone like Pat Smullen could take over on a horse she has won on previously, but that might not always be the case."This gives her a chance to take her career to the next level."Gordon, who has made the switch from Lambourn, added: "This is a big move as I'm now living in Newmarket and I'm giving up a lot of trainers who have been really good to me."I've got to where I am by hard work. I'm riding out for everybody I can, sometimes two trainers a day, and it will be different now. "Of course I hope to ride for whoever wants me in 2017, so those people who have got me here will hopefully still use me. "But this job will make things a bit different."