Tag Archive for: Lethal Levi

Levi proves Lethal as Burke bosses Ayr Gold Cup

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Karl Burke was left to celebrate at home in Middleham as Lethal Levi spearheaded a one-two-three for the trainer in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup.

Burke had already trained the first and second in the race back in 1998, but he bettered that effort as Lethal Levi was just too good for stablemates Silky Wilkie and Korker in this year’s renewal.

The five-year-old has been running consistently well all season but his victory over seven furlongs at Newbury last time pushed him up another 4lb and combined with what had previously been seen as a negative draw in stall 20, he was sent off at 20-1 under Clifford Lee.

Adopting his usual front-running tactics, he was taken on for the lead by Silky Wilkie and that pair had it between them from some way out.

Lethal Levi (far left) leads home two stablemates
Lethal Levi (far left) leads home two stablemates (Steve Welsh/PA)

With half a furlong to run, Lethal Levi’s stamina really kicked in and he began to pull away and eventually crossed the line three lengths to the good.

Silky Wilkie just held off stablemate Korker by a short head for second with Aramis Grey the first home behind the Burke trio in fourth.

The heavily backed 11-4 favourite American Affair met plenty of traffic problems and finished unplaced.

Burke was not at Ayr having decided to travel to Newbury where Andesite was due to contest the Mill Reef Stakes.

However, he was withdrawn due to heavy ground, leaving Burke to take in the action at his Spigot Lodge base.

“I thought we had plenty of staff going up to Ayr and I was heading to Newbury with the two-year-old, but when he didn’t run I stayed at home – I should have probably gone the other way,” he said.

Clifford Lee with the Ayr Gold Cup
Clifford Lee with the Ayr Gold Cup (Steve Welsh/PA)

“If everything went to plan, I did think Lethal was our best chance as he’s been in great form. Korker had been moving really well but with him it’s how well he breaks and we put a visor on Silky Wilkie for the first time, which clearly worked and he gets on really well with Sam Feilden.

“It had looked like the handicapper had Lethal Levi until recently, but he won well at Newbury last time over seven and he’s broken the track record today over six. He’s in great form. Putting blinkers on him has made a huge difference.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do, I’d imagine he’ll be out of handicaps but I’ll have to look in the book, that looked to be at least a Group Three performance and he’d deserve the step up.”

Always Alight (left) topped Daring Destiny back in 1998
Always Alight (left) topped Daring Destiny back in 1998 (David Cheskin/PA)

Daring Destiny’s victory in the 1994 renewal of Scottish highlight was one of the first major winners for the trainer, with the same mare beaten just a head by stable companion Always Alight four years later.

Burke said: “Daring Destiny was a big filly for us, after winning the Gold Cup she went and won a couple of Group races when we didn’t have many horses.

“She won it at three and four years later she was second to Always Alight. She was a bit regressive then, while he was a bit of a monkey.

“They used to work together and they were drawn close to each other which I’m sure is the reason he won as he just followed her the whole way and had his head down where it mattered! She could have easily been a dual winner.

“It’s a great race to win, especially to us based in the north and I’m delighted to win it again.”



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Lethal Levi leads Burke domination in Ayr Gold Cup

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Lethal Levi led home an incredible one-two-three for trainer Karl Burke in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup.

The five-year-old has been running consistently well all season but his victory over seven furlongs at Newbury last time pushed him up another 4lb and combined with what had previously been seen as a negative draw in stall 20, he was sent off at 20-1 under Clifford Lee.

Adopting his usual front-running tactics, he was taken on for the lead by his stable companion Silkie Wilkie and that pair had it between them from some way out.

With half a furlong to run, Lethal Levi’s stamina really kicked in and he began to pull away and eventually crossed the line three lengths to the good.

Silkie Wilkie just held off fell stablemate Korker by a short head for second with Aramis Grey the first home behind the Burke trio in fourth.

The heavily backed 11-4 favourite American Affair met plenty of traffic problems and finished unplaced.

Burke won his first Ayr Gold Cup in 1994 with Daring Destiny and followed up four years later with Always Alight.

Lee told ITV Racing: “I was delighted when he won at Newbury the last day as his fractions over seven were very good, so I knew he’d stay well.

“I went pretty quick but I always felt I had a lot of horse underneath me.

“It’s great riding for Mr Burke, he puts me on some very nice horses and this horse has won some very nice races.

“I’m delighted, this is my first Gold Cup, I hope there’s many more to come.”



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Lethal Levi Ayr Gold Cup bound after game Newbury win

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Lethal Levi booked his ticket to the Ayr Gold cup when cutting loose on the front-end to return to winning ways in the TPT Fire Handicap at Newbury.

A winner here in May, Karl Burke’s five-year-old has performed with real consistency this term, subsequently finishing fourth in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and then second in the Bunbury Cup.

Badly hampered when disappointing in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood most recently, he put that result behind him in the hands of Clifford Lee, hanging on gamely from the chasing pack in the closing stages of this seven-furlong event.

Burke said: “It was a great performance. It wasn’t the initial plan to come here and he has been pretty busy.

“At Goodwood, when he got knocked over, I don’t think it made any difference in terms of him winning, but he would have finished a bit closer and on the tails of the placed horses that day.

“It is so important that he jumps out and he jumps out much cleaner these days with the blinkers on. For whatever reason, he was giving races away, but Cliff gets on great with him and once he got an easy lead like that, I was sure he would run well and I was just hoping he would hang on.

“At this time of year, with these old horses, if they are not fit now, they are never going to be, so you don’t have to overdo them at home and just keep them happy.

“He’s a brilliant old horse and he will probably head to the Ayr Gold Cup now.”

The father and daughter team of Rachel Cook and John Bridger saddled recent recruit Faustus to also make most and land the Play The BetVictor Predictor Now Handicap in the hands of apprentice rider Joe Leavy.

Faustus wins The BetVictor Predictor Now Handicap
Faustus wins The BetVictor Predictor Now Handicap (David Davies/PA)

Sent off at 16-1 on his second start for the yard, the six-year-old wears the silks of Cook’s father-in-law Peter Cook and looks an able replacement to connections’ retired 123-race veteran Pettochside.

“My father-in-law bought him at Doncaster three weeks ago and he finished third at Windsor on his first start for us,” said Cook.

“We took a chance to run him here. We’ve done very little with him really, just a few canters and maybe the change of yard has worked, I don’t know! It’s brilliant.

“I don’t really know much about him and the owner needed another one like Pettochside, who is retired now. Faustus is six now, which is the same age as when we got Pettochside, and he’s that type of horse really who we can go racing with and have some fun with him.”

To continue the order of the day, Richard Hannon’s Mukaber took a solo path up the far side as he never missed a beat in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.

Mukaber impressed in the hands of Jamie Spencer
Mukaber impressed in the hands of Jamie Spencer (David Davies/PA)

Jamie Spencer’s mount was sent off at 9-1 in a deep-looking field, but having sailed home to win cosily by three-and-a-quarter-lengths, it would be no surprise if he moved into better company before the end of the season.

“I was surprised he hasn’t run better in his starts before this, as I rode him in Ireland before he ever went to the sales and I loved him – and for whatever reason, he just hasn’t performed before now,” said Spencer.

“He’s a big horse and he’s probably only getting his strength now and got the seven furlongs. I think when he gets stronger, he will hit the line even better than he did today.

“This horse is talented and you would hope he will get a mile next year. Richard had Haatem for these boys (owners) and hopefully he could be something like him.”

Ralph Beckett’s 2-1 favourite Hutchence landed the Chapel Down Handicap, while the concluding Childwickbury Stud Handicap went the way of Andrew Balding’s T’Challa, who struck at 5-1 in the hands of Oisin Murphy.



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