Tag Archive for: karl burke

Almosh’her sets up Ebor bid with winning debut for Burke

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Karl Burke made a winning start to the new season at York as his fresh recruit Almosh’her got the better of a ding-dong battle with Stressfree in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.

A dual winner from three all-weather starts for Charlie Fellowes, the four-year-old was a 15-2 shot for his first start since moving from Newmarket to North Yorkshire and displayed a willing attitude once challenged to make a successful stable debut by a head in the hands of Clifford Lee.

Burke said: “That’s a good start to the season here, hopefully it continues!

“He got sent to us from Charlie’s, who had done very well with him so it’s unfortunate for him, but we can only deal with what is put in front of us.

“He’s a lovely horse but he’s still a big baby and came with a reputation of being a live-wire. He has settled into our routine and is better than when he first came, but we didn’t know what he’d be like at the races. He’s done things OK but hopefully he’ll get better.

“That was a win-and-you’re-in for the Ebor, so we’ll be working back from that if he stays that sort of trip, but he needs to learn to race properly.”

Plenty of very well-known sprinters lined up in the Churchill Tyres Handicap but it was Ruth Carr’s Rousing Encore (22-1) who came out on top.

Having been with Richard Fahey as a youngster, for whom he finished sixth in the 2022 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, he finished strongly to beat Dark Thirty by a length and a quarter.

On having a winner at York, Carr said: “When you’re a Yorkshire lass, it’s proper! I’ve only had a handful of winners here – if you don’t have a runner at York, you don’t have a winner at York, but you tend to think you can find an easier race somewhere else as we have plenty of tracks in Yorkshire.

“I thought we were probably drawn on the wrong side today and he likes some cover, but we didn’t want to be too far back as it’s hard to make up ground on a fast track and fast ground.

“But Jimmy (Sullivan) gave him a lovely ride and edged over onto the rail. I thought ‘this is looking good’ as he was travelling and the horse put his head down and battled well.

“We can look at races like the Great St Wilfrid (at Ripon) and there are plenty of other good six-furlong races for us to go at.”

Ballistic Missile (11-2) may have earned himself a place on Richard Hannon’s Royal Ascot squad after coming from last to first to make a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.

Hannon said: “He’s a nice colt, he’s my first horse for the owners (Zhang Yuesheng) and hopefully he’s a very nice horse. If mine win first time, they are generally quite useful and he is one that will particularly improve for the run.

“I thought he was going to run horribly for a minute. He actually wasn’t that slow away leaving the gate, but the next 200 yards is when you win or lose a race and he was clueless. He was off the bridle the whole way, but going by the line I was impressed.”

On a potential appearance at Royal Ascot, he added: “He’s got to be one of those as he’ll improve a lot and he looks like he’ll improve for a step up to six (furlongs), although a stiff five would suit him.”

Richard Hughes had earlier denied his old boss Hannon by a nose in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap, with the Hughes-trained 10-1 shot Rare Change supplementing a recent Windsor success at the chief expense of Hannon’s Best Rate.

However, Hannon claimed a second winner on the card with Great Bedwyn, who scored at 9-2 under Sean Levey as the Stuey Weston & Friends Getting Out Handicap brought day one of the Dante Festival to a close.

Inisherin ‘more mature and has strengthened up’ for York return

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Connections of Inisherin are confident the exciting sprinter is stronger than ever ahead of his seasonal reappearance in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes on Wednesday.

One of the most visually impressive winners of the entire week at Royal Ascot last summer when dominating the Commonwealth Cup, Kevin Ryan’s charge was subsequently beaten into fifth place in the July Cup at Newmarket before disappointing in Haydock’s Sprint Cup in September.

The Shamardal colt will head to York for his first start in seven months on the opening day of the Dante Festival and Adam Ryan, assistant to his father, said: “We’re very happy with him and this was the obvious starting point for the year. We’re looking forward to seeing him back in action.

“He’s a very straightforward horse and he looks a lot more mature and has strengthened up a lot, so we’re very excited by him.”

Reflecting on last season, Ryan added: “He had a lot of racing in a short space of time last year and was still learning. I actually think he ran a bit better than the results on his last two runs as he probably didn’t handle Newmarket and the ground was very tacky at Haydock.

“They’ll have the ground perfect at York, William Derby and his team always do a great job with it.”

Inisherin has undergone a minor wind operation, described as “something of nothing” by Ryan, since his last run and will be partnered by Ryan Moore for the first time on the Knavesmire.

“Ryan Moore is arguably the greatest of all time and any time he is on board is a bonus,” said Ryan.

Night Raider following a racecourse gallop at Newmarket
Night Raider following a racecourse gallop at Newmarket (Adam Morgan/PA)

Inisherin’s rivals include a trio of Karl Burke-trained runners in Night Raider, Elite Status and Marshman.

One-time Classic contender Night Raider confirmed himself a sprinter of some potential when registering successive all-weather wins in the autumn, while dual Group Three scorer Elite Status – who like Inisherin carries the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid – was down the field in two Group Ones at the end of last season.

Burke said: “I think Night Raider is a Group One sprinter in the making. He’s got to prove that he does it on grass, but I have no doubt that he will.

“He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse. He’s probably quick enough for five furlongs, but he obviously stays six and he’s actually won two small races over seven, so he’s got a lot going for him.

“Elite Status is another we’re hoping can develop into a Group One horse. He’s a very good horse, he probably wouldn’t have the natural speed that Night Raider’s got, but he stays the six very strongly.”

Karl Burke saddles three runners in the1895 Duke of York Stakes
Karl Burke saddles three runners in the 1895 Duke of York Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Spigot Lodge trio is completed by Marshman, who is hard fit from a winter campaign.

“Marshman was a bit of a last-minute theme but, with the low entry, he takes his chance,” Burke added.

“He’s very fit, obviously. He probably prefers a little bit slower ground. He’s a good, solid Listed/Group Three horse.”

Andrew Balding’s course and distance winner Flora Of Bermuda, the Clive Cox-trained Kerdos and Rage Of Bamby, who was last seen landing a Listed prize at Newmarket in October for Eve Johnson Houghton, also feature in a competitive Group Two field alongside Royal Zabeel for Mick Appleby.

Al Qareem collects Further Flight honours at Nottingham

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Al Qareem put his match fitness to good use to get his season up and running with a gutsy performance to claim the Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham.

Now a nine-time winner, Karl Burke’s consistent performer blew away the cobwebs at Saint-Cloud recently and showed plenty of heart in the hands of Clifford Lee to hold off Harry Eustace’s fast-finishing Divine Comedy.

“I think Clifford has given him a super ride and we’ve kind of learnt you have to kick on sooner than you normally would as he’s one who stays forever,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of the winning owners Nick Bradley Racing.

“He should have won the race on what he’s done before and he duly did.”

Al Qareem was sent off the 4-6 favourite for the feature Listed event and having returned a short-head verdict will now head to Chester for the Group Three Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes on May 8.

“We were looking and talking at the race about 11.50am last Thursday when entries closed at midday and we just thought this looked a right opportunity,” said Bradley.

“The alternative was to go to Newbury on Saturday for the John Porter and that looks like it would have been much harder. I think we’ve done our job picking the right one and hopefully there are some happy owners.

“He will go for the Ormonde next. We haven’t put him in the Yorkshire Cup and we’ll swerve that this year and head to Chester for his next start.”

Elsewhere on the card there was a taking winning debut from Roger Varian’s Munsif (evens favourite) – a son of Sea The Stars out of a half-sister to Oaks and King George winner Taghrooda – in the Ladies Day 10th May “Confined” Maiden Stakes.

Spycatcher cracks Cammidge code

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Spycatcher got his season off to a flying start when taking an eventful William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.

The seasoned seven-year-old was one of two runners in the race for Karl Burke, who also had Marshman in the Listed six-furlong event.

Spycatcher was the lesser fancied of the two at 4-1, but James Doyle always rode him with confidence.

However, the complexion of the race changed with a furlong to run, when Charlie Hills’ Iberian, winner of the Champagne Stakes at the track as a two-year-old, began a powerful challenge.

Upon hitting the front, though, he veered markedly to his left, knocking into Clive Cox’s James’s Delight who in turn gave Spycatcher a bump.

This seemed to spur Spycatcher on and while Iberian rallied close to home, he went down by a neck.

Burke said: “Watching it live I thought Iberian knocked straight into us, but it was Clive’s horse he knocked first, who then went into us.

“I was honestly thinking of taking him out when I got here because I didn’t think the ground would be soft enough as the ground walks quicker than it rides.

“The lads who rode in the first said it was perfectly safe ground, though, and it wouldn’t do him any harm to run.

“I said to James he’s a scratchy old mover and to ride him to finish, if he’s happy then great, but if it’s not going to happen then we know why.

“Poor old Clifford (Lee, rider of Marshman), he always seems to pick the wrong one when Spycatcher runs!

“I think we’ll have to enter him for the Group Two at York, but he’ll only run if it’s soft enough.”

Orandi chasing historic handicap double at Doncaster

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Just under a fortnight after plundering the Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh, Tony Martin’s Orandi bids to complete a famous double in the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday.

No horse has landed the two major Flat spring handicaps in the same season, although Sweet Lightning’s name is on the roll of honour for both, having struck at Doncaster in 2011 for Michael Dods and in the Irish equivalent two years later for Tommy Carmody.

The only Irish-trained winner of the Doncaster race so far has been Dermot Weld’s Saving Mercy in 1984 and Orandi will carry a 5lb penalty for his Curragh win, with Rossa Ryan booked for the ride.

“He seems in good form so we’ll let him go and take his chance,” said the County Meath handler.

“He did it really well at the Curragh and seems to have come out of the race well.

“I’m sure the ground will be fine and we’ve a good jockey on board, so that should help.”

Karl Burke has a couple of major contenders in ante-post favourite Thunder Run and Native Warrior.

Thunder Run (left) winning at York
Thunder Run (left) winning at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Thunder Run won three times last season before finishing fourth when favourite for the Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day, while the lightly-raced Native Warrior was third in the Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Burke said: “Native Warrior is working very, very well – he’s definitely stepped up for being gelded at the end of last season. He’s getting 7lb off the other horse and I don’t think there will be a lot between them.

“Thunder Run saves a fair bit for the racetrack and I think if everything stays right with him he’s at least a Group Three-type of horse, that’s the way he works, and the other fella is not far behind him.”

He added: “This has been the target for both horses really. They seem in great form, they’ve done plenty of work and their weight is good, but you never know in these big handicaps first time out, it’s always tough.

Native Warrior is one of two runners for Wathnan Racing along with Hamad Al Jehani’s Midnight Gun, with the owners’ retained rider James Doyle siding with the latter.

Richard Brown, Wathnan’s racing adviser, said of Midnight Gun: “He’s done very well over the winter. We gelded him and he has really strengthened and thickened out, which doesn’t happen to most horses when you geld them.

“James rode him in a piece of work at Chelmsford last week and was very impressed, but it wasn’t a straightforward decision for him to choose Midnight Gun, as Native Warrior won his side in the Britannia and I think James actually thought he’d won that day before looking over and realising he hadn’t.”

Trainer Charlie Hills (right) with Galeron at the Curragh
Trainer Charlie Hills (right) with Galeron at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

The weights are headed by the Charlie Hills-trained Galeron, who won the Goffs Million in Ireland three years ago and was fourth in Chaldean’s 2000 Guineas the following spring.

The five-year-old has since enjoyed a spell in Australia, but returned to Hills’ Lambourn base earlier this year and the trainer said: “It’s great to have him back and we’ll see how he gets on, he should run pretty decent.

“I don’t think he’ll want extremes of ground, but anything like good to soft should suit him. A big field should suit him, too.”

Toimy Son winning at Goodwood
Toimy Son winning at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Toimy Son won the Golden Mile at Goodwood last season before finishing third in the Cambridgeshire and sixth in the Balmoral Handicap.

“I’ve seen nothing off him to say he isn’t in the same form this year, so we’re hopeful,” said his trainer David Menuisier, who struck two years ago with Migration.

“With the help of Warren (Fentiman) claiming 5lb, if all goes according to plan he should run a good race.”

Burke sees Doncaster opportunity as one to take with Liberty Lane

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Sheikh Mohammed Obaid appears to hold all the aces in the William Hill Doncaster Mile Stakes on Saturday, with both Liberty Lane and Botanical flying the flag for the Classic-winning owner.

Dry conditions in Newmarket have seen Karl Burke take in this option with the former rather than head straight to his beloved HQ for the Earl of Sefton Stakes, with the Cambridgeshire winner attempting to back up last term’s smart form and kick off the new campaign in a positive light.

Burke said: “I’d have preferred the ground to be softer for him over a mile. He stays a mile and one (furlong) well now, as he proved at the end of last year.

“I was going to go straight to Newmarket with him, but it’s so fast down there at the moment. They’ve had very little rain and the gallops are apparently very firm. If it didn’t rain in the next couple of weeks I’d be a bit sick that we’d not had this opportunity.

“I’m not going to Doncaster confident, just hopeful that he runs a nice race and comes out of it well and the ground turns up suitable for the Earl of Sefton.”

Botanical makes his second appearance for George Boughey, with last year’s John Smith’s Cup runner-up beaten only a short head on his stable bow at Goodwood. The son of Lope De Vega is one of two in the race for the Newmarket handler, alongside Chic Colombine.

“She should have won the Princess Elizabeth on Derby day, she was very unlucky, and William Buick held his hands up afterwards – just one of those unfortunate things,” said Harry Herbert of Chic Colombine’s owners Highclere Thoroughbreds.

“She looks terrific, so if wind surgery has helped then she is certainly too big a price for Saturday. We like her very much, but it’s a comeback.”

Dancing Gemini ran in the Derby last season
Dancing Gemini ran in the Derby last season (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Roger Teal has had this race in mind for Dancing Gemini ever since he performed with credit behind last year’s Doncaster winner Charyn in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

A Listed course winner at two, a close-up second in the French 2000 Guineas was the pick of his form last season in a year in which he also ran in the Derby and Eclipse before reverting back to a mile.

“We’ve targeted this race for a while and thought it would be a good place to start with him,” said Teal.

“It will answer a lot of questions as to whether we stick at a mile or go up in trip with him and we’ll be a bit wiser after it. It’s a competitive field, but he definitely warrants being there.

He went on: “I think the Derby took quite a lot out of him last year and it’s a race that takes its toll.

“Then in the Eclipse it was just horrible ground. Kieran (Shoemark) said two furlongs out he was cruising, but then he just hit a brick wall on the ground.

“We drew a line through the Eclipse and his run at Goodwood, and then on Champions Day (in the QEII), because he was so keen before at Goodwood Tom (Marquand) took him back and then regretted doing it.

“Tom said after the race that if he knew he would settle so well he would have gone forwards with him, but it was nice to see a strong run from him at Ascot and he’s done well over the winter.”

Point Lynas will represent Ed Bethell
Point Lynas will represent Ed Bethell (Tim Goode/PA)

Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter blew away the cobwebs at Wolverhampton recently, while Point Lynas’ participation could depend on drying conditions with Ed Bethell’s six-year-old arriving on the back of a runner-up effort in Qatar.

“He’ll run as long as the ground dries out as much as the clerk of the course is saying it will,” said Bethell.

“He’s the second highest-rated in the race and he’s a very talented horse on his day.”

Poet Master seeking Gladness gold on seasonal bow

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Poet Master returns to the scene of his finest hour for the Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

Karl Burke’s charge secured the biggest victory of his nine-race career so far at the home of Irish Flat racing last summer when running away with the Group Two Minstrel Stakes in the hands of Sam James.

The five-year-old went on to finish fifth in both Doncaster’s Park Stakes and the Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp and with opportunities to make his return on home soil thin on the ground, he travels back to Ireland for his reappearance at Listed level this weekend.

Burke said: “He’s a horse who has wintered really well, he’s definitely strengthened physically from the winter.

“It’s not ideal going away that far for his first run of the season and I’m sure he’ll come on for it, but there is no seven-furlong race I can run him in here until the first weekend of May at Haydock, which seems ridiculous.

“I thought about running him over six furlongs in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday but he’s not qualified because he won a Group Two last year, so we were a bit snookered and that’s why we’ve sent him over to Ireland.

“He’s in great form and looks really well, but I’m sure he’ll come on slightly for the run.”

Poet Master heads an 11-strong field, with Aidan O’Brien saddling the two three-year-old participants in Camille Pissarro and Officer.

Camille Pissarro rounded off a busy juvenile campaign with a Group One victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend, while Officer won over this course and distance on his sole start to date.

Joe Murphy’s Lord Massusus, the Charles O’Brien-trained Big Gossey and Jessica Harrington’s recent Naas scorer Hurricane Ivor also feature in a competitive event.

Burke duo head Lincoln betting after Qirat comes out

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Karl Burke’s pair of Thunder Run and Native Warrior head the market for Saturday’s William Hill Lincoln after ante-post favourite Qirat was scratched ahead of the confirmation stage.

The Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat won a valuable prize at Goodwood last summer before finishing second in the Challenge Cup at Ascot and a Listed race at Nottingham. The four-year-old was well fancied for the traditional Flat season curtain-raiser at Doncaster this weekend, but will not line up on Town Moor.

Barry Mahon, racing manager for Qirat’s owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: “He’s fine, he just wasn’t ready. He’s still a little bit wintry and just wasn’t forward enough, so Ralph felt we’d be better waiting a couple of weeks until he’s blossomed a bit more.

“We have no plans, we’ll wait until he tells us that he’s ready to go. There’s one of those good handicaps nearly every weekend, so we’ll slot him in when he’s right.”

Native Warrior is a leading contender for the Lincoln
Native Warrior is a leading contender for the Lincoln (David Davies/PA)

Ed Walker’s course and distance winner Harper’s Ferry is another notable absentee, as is Ed Bethell’s Cambridgeshire runner-up James McHenry.

The sponsors make Thunder Run their 5-1 Lincoln favourite, with stablemate Native Warrior considered his biggest threat at 6-1.

Thunder Run won three of his six starts last term and was last seen finishing fourth as favourite for the Balmoral Handicap on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot in October, while the lightly-raced Native Warrior could make his first appearance since being gelded.

Other leading hopes include Julie Camacho’s Lattam and Hamad Al Jehani’s Midnight Gun, who are both priced up at 10-1 with William Hill.

The weights are headed by Witch Hunter (33-1) from Richard Hannon’s yard, with 69 horses still in contention at this stage.

Fallen Angel given Lockinge aim by Burke

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Fallen Angel will return to a mile after Karl Burke nominated Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes as the starting point for her four-year-old campaign.

A Group One winner at two, the daughter of Too Darn Hot was sent off favourite when fifth in last year’s 1000 Guineas before going on to claim the Irish equivalent in fine style at the Curragh.

A setback kept her out of the heart of the summer action, but she advertised her well-being with great efforts in defeat in both the Matron Stakes and when upped in distance for the Prix de l’Opera.

Purchased by Wathnan Racing prior to her two back-end runs, she has been kept in training at four, where Fallen Angel will revert to her Classic-winning distance initially, with her return pencilled in for Newbury on May 17.

Burke said: “She’s in great order and I’m very happy with her. She will head to the Lockinge and then to Royal Ascot and she looks to be in great shape.

“At the moment we will stick to a mile with her, I do think she will stay a mile and a quarter but I do think a stiff mile and a fast-run mile is ideal for her as well on a galloping track.

“There is obviously the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, but depending on what happens in the Lockinge there is also the Group Two, the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, at Ascot and she would have entries in both races I would have thought.”

As well as Fallen Angel, Royal Ascot-winning juveniles Shareholder and Leovanni are others among Burke’s Spigot Lodge string to carry the Wathnan old gold and peacock blue silks.

Shareholder (left) winning at Royal Ascot
Shareholder (left) winning at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

Both formed part of the Qatar-based operation’s memorable Ascot four-timer last summer, when claiming the Norfolk and Queen Mary Stakes respectively, and their handler is looking forward to welcoming them back to his Middleham yard.

Burke added: “They are not back yet, but they are due to come back soon – they’ve had a couple of little issues over the winter so have just taken a bit longer to arrive back here.

“Shareholder could be back in the next week or two and Leovanni probably a few weeks after that.

“They are two high-class horses and we will be delighted to see them back in the yard. Shareholder especially should improve physically from two to three and it will be interesting to see what he’s looking like when he gets back.”

Burke backing Royal Champion to reign in Winter Derby

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Royal Champion appeared suitably named when making a winning start for Karl Burke on New Year’s Eve and his handler is confident there is more to come in the BetUK Winter Derby Stakes at Southwell.

A Royal Ascot winner for Roger Varian in 2023, he ended his time with the Carlburg Stables handler by finishing second in the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine before spending the next year in Australia with Anthony and Sam Freedman.

Returned to the UK to join Burke, he proved a cut above when landing the Quebec Stakes at Lingfield, form that has since been franked by the runner-up Tyrrhenian Sea.

He now tries a new distance in this Group Three event, but Burke is certain there is more in the tank now the gelding is fully settled into his new surroundings at Spigot Lodge.

Burke said: “He’s never raced over this trip but I think he will stay and I hope he is good enough, he’s in great form.

“This was the obvious race for him after Lingfield. I would have preferred to stay at a mile and a quarter, but I do think he’ll have no problem with the trip around Southwell.

“I couldn’t have been happier with that first run, but he will definitely strip a bit fitter this time. He wasn’t with us that long before Lingfield, but he’s been working really well and I’m really happy with him.”

Standing in Royal Champion’s way is Military Academy, who has the chance to enhance his Clarehaven team’s excellent record in the race.

John Gosden has won the race three times in his own right before combining with son Thady to send out Lord North to victory in 2023 and their latest contender arrives having regained the winning thread at Kempton in November.

The four-year-old will be ridden by Robert Havlin, who said: “Military Academy was progressive last year. I rode him on his debut at Hamilton and he showed a great deal of ability to beat The Reverend.

“I am happy with the draw (stall five) as he is a horse who likes to warm into his race. He is coming here on the back of a good performance in the Floodlit Stakes and, with natural progression, hopefully he can pick up from where he left off.

“He is very laid-back at home and is as fit as we can get him. We are using this as a stepping-stone to a race in Bahrain next month and this should leave him spot on. All that being said, we are expecting a big run.

“You have to have a lot of respect for Royal Champion, while the likes of Persica and Champagne Prince should be in the mix on their best form.”

Meanwhile, Burke also holds a strong hand in the supporting BetUK Hever Sprint Stakes with the resurgent Marshman, who is unbeaten in two starts on the all-weather in 2025.

He has been handed a tricky draw in stall one as he drops back to the minimum distance in a race in which he is disputing favouritism with Clive Cox’s defending champion Diligent Harry.

However, Burke is keen to test the waters back at five furlongs ahead of a possible run on All-Weather Championships Finals Day.

Burke said: “He had a few little niggles we ironed out at the end of last year and he has always been a horse we have thought a lot of.

“I always thought he would come back and I knew a few people doubted we would, but I’ve been very happy with his runs on the all-weather.

“Dropping back in trip is not ideal, but he needs a third run to qualify for Finals Day and it was either come here over five furlongs, go to Wolverhampton for the Lady Wulfruna over seven furlongs or a handicap carrying top-weight over six.

“Trip-wise that last option would have been ideal, but if he goes and wins a handicap he could handicap himself out of Finals Day.

“It’s a bit of an experiment dropping back in trip and I’m not a fan of the draw, there’s a lot of pace in the race but it seems away from us. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Night Raider likely to be saved for turf sprint campaign

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Karl Burke is eyeing major sprint prizes for one-time Classic hope Night Raider.

The son of Dark Angel colt made a huge impression in winning his first two starts on the all-weather at Southwell and was subsequently thrown in the deep end in last year’s 2000 Guineas.

He was well beaten over the Rowley Mile and when contesting the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but has recently bounced back with successive wins at Kempton and Newcastle, including an impressive display in the Listed Golden Rose Stakes in mid-November.

While a trip to Dubai has been under consideration, Night Raider looks set to remain on home soil and with all-weather options limited, he will likely be saved until the spring.

Burke said: “He was a horse that could have gone out to Dubai, but the owners (Clipper Logistics) have decided against it.

“There’s pros and cons for going out there obviously, but he’s never run on fast ground on turf so he would have had a chance to do that and there were Listed and Group races for him.

“If he didn’t go out there there’s nothing for him on the all-weather because the Finals Day races are nearly all handicaps now and we’re not going to do that as he’s rated 111 and we’re hoping to make him into a stallion.

“We’ll probably have to wait for either the Duke of York or the Temple Stakes, unless I can persuade Steve (Parkin) to go out to Dubai for World Cup night or something, we’ll see.”

Trainer Karl Burke at York
Trainer Karl Burke at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Reflecting on his disappointing runs on turf last term, the trainer added: “He just didn’t stay in the Guineas and he’s obviously a sprinter. He’s probably quick enough for five furlongs, never mind six.

“He won his first two races over seven and was always relaxed enough at home so we thought we had a good chance of staying the mile, but it’s always different on the racetrack.”

First Ambition gets Laurens off the mark as broodmare

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First Ambition, son of the top mare Laurens, made a winning debut in the Win £1M With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Maiden Stakes at Newcastle.

Laurens was an eight-time winner who was trained by Karl Burke to six Group One successes – the Fillies’ Mile, the Prix Saint-Alary, the Prix de Diane, the Matron Stakes, the Sun Chariot and the Prix Rothschild.

First Ambition, a bay colt by Invincible Spirit, was foaled in April 2021 and is therefore now classed as a four-year-old, but his racecourse introduction proved worth the wait as he contested a seven-furlong maiden under Clifford Lee.

A 13-2 chance in a field of well-bred horses, including Lord Capulet, a half-brother to Rosallion, First Ambition always looked to be travelling well and was not hard pressed to pull away from the aforementioned rival to score by a length and three quarters for Burke.

Lee told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s a lovely horse, he’s been working really well, he’s done enough at home and just needed to get to the track.

“He’s obviously been off for a while and was having his first run as a four-year-old, but as long as he stays sound, I think he’ll be a lovely horse for this year on turf.

“He’s still such a big, green horse and like I was saying, he’s done enough at home and we just needed to get him to the track now.

“He’s done it very nicely, he travelled really well, I kept it very simple and he stayed right to the line.

“At home, I’ve ridden him a few times in his gallops and we have thought a lot of him, he’s galloped really well, but there’s only so much you can do at home and we’re just delighted he’s got his head in front there.”

First Ambition will bid to uphold family honour at Newcastle

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There will be a regal pedigree on show at Newcastle on Thursday, as First Ambition becomes the first foal out of multiple Group One heroine Laurens to take to the track.

Trained throughout her exceptional racing career by Karl Burke, the daughter of Siyouni won eight times from 17 starts and struck six times at the highest level over three seasons, including Classic honours in the Prix de Diane.

As yet, none of her progeny have made the track, but it is fitting that her very first will be saddled by Burke and the colt has undergone his preparation at the same Spigot Lodge training centre which his illustrious mother once graced with her presence.

Karl Burke is the trainer of First Ambition
Karl Burke is the trainer of First Ambition (Mike Egerton/PA)

Burke is delighted to finally see First Ambition make his racecourse bow at the age of four and although Kevin Ryan could field well-regarded opposition in the form of Lord Capulet, the Middleham-based handler is hopeful of a strong start in the Win £1M With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs.

“He’s a lovely horse and has been very backward. He’s had a few little niggles, nothing serious, but he’s worked nicely and can definitely gallop,” said Burke.

“I think Kevin Ryan has a nice Sheikh Obaid-owned horse in the race, so it won’t be an easy start, but whatever he does, he will improve on. I think he will run well.

“This is the first foal Laurens had and the second one is with Ralph Beckett and he’s a lovely, big scopey horse like she was. I’m unsure if he’ll emulate his mother, but he will be a nice horse in his own right.”

Royal Champion back with a bang after stint in Australia

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Royal Champion proved well named when producing an excellent display to claim the BetUK Quebec Stakes at Lingfield.

A Royal Ascot winner for Roger Varian, the six-year-old son of Shamardal had most recently been seen in Australia and finished second in a Group Two for Anthony and Sam Freedman before being well held behind Via Sistina in the TAB Champions Stakes at Flemington.

Making his first start for new handler Karl Burke in the 10-furlong Listed event at the Surrey track, Royal Champion was always travelling kindly for jockey Clifford Lee as he kept tabs on Amy Murphy’s front-running Pride Of America.

Royal Champion winning at Royal Ascot in 2023
Royal Champion winning at Royal Ascot in 2023 (David Davies/PA)

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned gelding breezed past Pride Of America with just under two furlongs to run and spinning the bend for home already had defending champion Tyrrhenian Sea trailing as Jack Mitchell began to get more urgent in the saddle.

To his credit, the Varian-trained chief market rival kept on chasing the 5-6 favourite to the line, but it was Royal Champion’s class that came to the fore as he was simply kept up to his work by his rider to register a convincing victory.

The winner is now set for a slight step up in trip to tackle the Winter Derby at Southwell on February 22.

Burke, speaking away from the course, said: “He hasn’t been with us that long, only four or five weeks, but he did it very well.

“He’s been working nicely and it wasn’t the original plan to go there, but he’s been working so well I just thought it was worth a crack at it.

“There’s not many races for him now, only really the Winter Derby now. So he’ll probably have a go at that I think.

“He’s going to have to go an extra furlong, but he wasn’t stopping and Cliff thought he’d get it and I think a stronger pace will help him as well.

“They didn’t seem to go that quick and he travelled very strongly and he’s entitled to come on fitness wise as well, we hadn’t done a lot with him for a few weeks after he travelled over from Australia, so I’m sure he will come on a bit.”

Group One near-misses leaves decision pending on Swingalong

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A decision on whether Karl Burke’s top-class sprinter Swingalong remains in training next season will be made in the coming days.

The filly has been a narrow second in three Group Ones this season, including in the Champions Sprint at Ascot.

If the decision is taken to retire her, there is a possibility her career will end in Hong Kong but if she carries on for one more year she is unlikely to travel.

“We haven’t completely decided but a decision will be made shortly,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for owner Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum. “She’s still in great form and has come out of the race really well.

“The discussion is whether she stays in training, which if she does she probably won’t go to Hong Kong, but if Sheikh Juma decides to retire her to stud she might have one more bash in Hong Kong before going.

“She’s come so close in three Group Ones, that is why the temptation is there to bring her back for another year.

“When you are beaten a matter of inches in those sort of races, you almost think surely she can win one. She’s proved what a tough filly she is and how genuine she is.

“If she stays in training one more year she might have her head down at the right time.”