Tag Archive for: Al Qareem

Al Qareem out for another York raid in the Lonsdale Cup

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York regular Al Qareem is ready to go “toe-to-toe” with Gold Cup hero Trawlerman in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup as he seeks his third Knavesmire success of the summer.

Only Aidan O’Brien’s Gold Cup runner-up Illinois has been able to stop Karl Burke’s six-year-old in his last four starts and connections are raring to have a crack at John and Thady Gosden’s staying star, who will be out to replicate his Royal Ascot heroics and remain unbeaten on home soil in 2025.

“I did think the race would turn out stronger than it is so I’m pleased to see only six in the field,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing.

Al Qareem in action at York
Al Qareem in action at York (Martin Rickett/PA)

“Trawlerman of course will be hard to beat, he’s drawn four and we’re drawn five. I’m looking forward to seeing who leads and I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing those two go toe-to-toe at the two-furlong pole and may the best horse win.

“He’s got a good course record but I think that’s more because we’ve handpicked those races and he’s run well at places like Ascot and Chester as well, so I don’t think it’s because of the track necessarily.”

A winner of 11 of his 31 career starts, Al Qareem has long been a reliable source of success for his connections and his performance on the Knavesmire could prove key in Bradley hitting some ambitious targets for the current campaign.

He added: “My target for this year is £1.4million in prize-money and 60 winners and I’m thinking if I can be at £1.1million by the end of this month, I will be in good shape.

“If Al Qareem finishes second I think I’ll get there, so I will be relying on him quite a lot and it’s a credit to Karl and his team and the horse himself as we have a standard-bearer who tries so hard every time he lines up.”

Trawlerman is joined in the line-up by Clarehaven stablemate and stalwart of the division Sweet William, with Shackleton the chosen representative of Ballydoyle and Saeed bin Suroor’s Gold Cup third Dubai Future also engaged.

The field is completed by Tom Clover’s Al Nayyir, who was agonisingly denied by Vauban in this 12 months ago and suffered a similar fate at Sandown when last seen in the Esher Stakes.

“We’re really happy with the horse and he looks to have trained nicely since his run at Sandown,” said Clover.

Al Nayyir was second in this race last year (
Al Nayyir was second in this race last year (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I always wonder if this is the time of year he is at his best as he does come to hand a bit, which is encouraging. He looks super in himself and we will keep everything crossed for a big run.

“The only slight niggle for us is the ground and being that little bit older he might not want it this tight, but he has gone very well on it previously and has been working very well.

“It’s obviously going to be a very tall ask and although there are only six runners, it looks deep. But I do think he warrants his place in this field and if the others go really hard, it might set up well for him.”

There is also Group Two action in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, where Ed Walker’s Do Or Do Not looks to turn some consistent form into a deserved success.

Do Or Do Not (left) has been a model of consistency
Do Or Do Not (left) has been a model of consistency (Joe Giddens/PA)

Second in both the Coventry Stakes and July Stakes before also finishing third in a strong renewal of the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, he now reverts to six furlongs with first-time cheekpieces in place.

“He’s been a very fun two-year-old and unlucky not to win one, but he’s been aimed high and we’re doing so once again,” said Walker.

“He’s in good form and I don’t see any problem with the drop back to six furlongs. They went very very fast when he couldn’t go with them down the hill in the July Stakes at Newmarket and I think he will be all right and we’re going to run him in cheekpieces.

“He ran really well at Goodwood as well and his form is really rock solid.”

Burke’s dual winner Reciprocated and Declan Carroll’s Thirsk novice scorer Lifeplan are other interesting names among a field of eight.

New Beverley race seen as a good fit for Al Qareem

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Al Qareem is on track to fly the flag for Yorkshire in the inaugural running of the Charlie Wood Stakes at Beverley on Saturday.

Trained by Middleham’s Karl Burke and owned by the locally-based Nick Bradley Racing, the six-year-old is a fitting competitor in the mile-and-a-half Listed event which was previously run as the Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket and now named after his Hull-born contemporary, the 1887 champion jockey Wood.

“I think he will run and I see a couple of them in the race have been declared elsewhere and I think it is a very winnable option for him,” said Nick Bradley.

“It’s a new race with £28,000 to the winner, it’s a Listed race and even with a penalty he’s clear of everything else in the race. Beverley is a front-runner’s track and will suit him so I don’t see too much wrong with the race.”

Al Qareem has been in top form this season, winning at Nottingham in the Further Flight Stakes in April before finishing an honourable second to Aidan O’Brien’s Gold Cup runner-up Illinois at Chester.

He followed that up with a destructive display at York when handing Willie Mullins’ Absurde a four-and-a-half length beating in the Listed Grand Cup, and a return to the Knavesmire for the John Smith’s Silver Cup is available as an option if connections make a late defection from Beverley.

“The alternative is York the following race and he’ll run in one of the two, but I think I’m favouring Beverley.” continued Bradley.

“He did well last time and Clifford (Lee, jockey) gave him a brilliant ride that day, he got the second horse (Absurde) keen and we got lucky that a few behind didn’t really show up.

“I thought it was a career best but I’m not sure the horse is particularly getting really better, we’re just managing him better and placing him better. We know him more now.”

Consistent Al Qareem bags another big prize

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Al Qareem shone on the Knavesmire with an impressive success in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes.

Karl Burke and Nick Bradley Racing’s reliable six-year-old was a 9-2 chance under Clifford Lee, with Willie Mullins’ 2023 Ebor winner Absurde the even-money favourite having travelled over from Ireland.

It was those two who did battle from a long way out as the Listed event reached a crucial stage, but Al Qareem is not a horse to shy away from a battle and he put his head down to pull clear and prevail by four and a half lengths.

“He’s so honest, he’s a very sound horse and he just does it every time you ask him to,” said Burke.

“When the favourite came looming up I had a smile on my face, the commentator was saying the favourite was coming after him but you know he’s going to fight for it.

“I think he’ll be handicapped out of the Ebor, but the Irish St Leger and the Curragh Cup, especially the Irish St Leger, could be very interesting.

“It’s on a lovely, big, galloping track (Curragh) and he stays that one-mile-six (furlongs) so well. They are the two races we’ll be looking at.”

‘Big run’ expected from Absurde on York return

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Absurde will return to the scene of his most valuable victory to date when he lines up for the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes at York on Saturday.

Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old is a true dual-purpose performer who won the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024 and then the Listed Chester Stakes later the same year.

He started his Flat campaign this season at the latter track when third in the Group Three Ormonde and now turns his attentions to the Knavesmire again, where he landed the Ebor under an inspired Frankie Dettori in 2023.

“He’s an incredible horse, he’s been to Cheltenham, Ascot and Chester,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father.

“We’re really looking forward to sending him back to York, he obviously won the Ebor there back in 2023.

“He’s in great form at home, he’s race-fit and we’re expecting a big run from him.”

A field of five has assembled for the race, with Andrew Balding’s Alsakib also bringing course-and-distance form to the table as the winner of the Silver Cup last term.

Charlie Appleby’s El Cordobes and David Simock’s Raja Raja both run, and so too does Karl Burke’s Al Qareem.

The six-year-old was the runner-up behind Alsakib in the Silver Cup last year, and has returned to action this season in good form with a win in the Listed Further Flight and a second-placed effort ahead of Absurde in the Ormonde.

“He’s in great form at home, the ground isn’t going to be ideal but hopefully we’ll get a shower,” said Nick Bradley of ownership group Nick Bradley Racing.

“The alternative was to go to the Listed race at Goodwood that Hamish won (the Tapster Stakes), we’d have had the ground there but the race would have potentially been a bit tougher.

“He’s in great form and this will hopefully set him up nicely for the rest of the season.”