Why Leyburn trainer Karl Burke is delighted by the strength of his planned Royal Ascot string

LEYBURN trainer Karl Burke is excited to send what he believes is his strongest ever team to Royal Ascot next month.
On course: Dante winner Desert Crown heads a list of 18 possible runners for Saturday's Cazoo Derby. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)On course: Dante winner Desert Crown heads a list of 18 possible runners for Saturday's Cazoo Derby. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
On course: Dante winner Desert Crown heads a list of 18 possible runners for Saturday's Cazoo Derby. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

LEYBURN trainer Karl Burke is excited to send what he believes is his strongest ever team to Royal Ascot next month.

The Spigot Lodge handler is enjoying an excellent season and appears to have a particularly formidable squad of juvenile fillies on his hands.

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Leading that particular group is Dramatised, who made a huge impression when making a successful start to her career at Newmarket. She is likely to be joined on the trip south by Pillow Talk and Yahsat - first and second in the Marygate Stakes at York - as well as Musselburgh debut winner Cathy Come Home.

Strong hand: Trainer Karl Burke is excited by the team of horses he will be sending down to Royal Ascot from his Spigot Lodge base in Leyburn. Picture: Gary LongbottomStrong hand: Trainer Karl Burke is excited by the team of horses he will be sending down to Royal Ascot from his Spigot Lodge base in Leyburn. Picture: Gary Longbottom
Strong hand: Trainer Karl Burke is excited by the team of horses he will be sending down to Royal Ascot from his Spigot Lodge base in Leyburn. Picture: Gary Longbottom

Burke’s best three-year-old looks to be El Caballo, who notched his sixth win from seven career starts in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock and is a leading contender for the Commonwealth Cup.

Speaking after saddling newcomer Brazen to win the opening race at Redcar on Monday, Burke told Racing TV: “It’ll probably be the strongest team that we’ve sent down there on paper.

“Dramatised looks in great shape along with, luckily, three or four other very nice fillies ready to go there. The hardest thing will be trying to split them up, I think.

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“El Caballo is in brilliant form and goes for the Commonwealth Cup, Yahsat will go for the Queen Mary and then we’ve got Pillow Talk. I’m not sure which race she’ll go for yet as it’s a lot of the same owners and I think they’ll all have multiple entries and we’ll pick nearer the time.

“Cathy Come Home is a very smart filly.”

Sir Michael Stoute’s impressive Dante winner Desert Crown heads 18 possibles for Saturday’s Cazoo Derby at Epsom.

Having just the second run of his life, the Nathaniel colt come home over three lengths clear of a decent field at York earlier this month, to propel himself to the head of the Derby betting.

Aidan O’Brien has his typically strong challenge, with Stone Age leading the way.

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His other runners also bring sound credentials, with Changingoftheguard landing the Chester Vase and Star Of India taking the Dee Stakes.

Charlie Appleby has three contenders, as he did last year when Adayar, seemingly the least fancied of his trio, won it.

Nations Pride now appears to be his number one hope after being supplemented at a cost of £75,000. Nahanni and Walk Of Stars are also set to represent Appleby and Godolphin.

Lingfield became the latest venue to encounter safety issues, with two races on the round course abandoned yesterday following a scare for William Buick in the opener.

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Following on from Beverley on Wednesday, Haydock on Friday evening and Chester on Saturday, yet another meeting was in the news for the wrong reasons.

It was Buick’s mount Cu Chulainn who lost his footing in the Download The At The Races App Handicap, with the Classic-winning rider and his mount fortunate to stay upright as the field turned into the straight.

After an inspection the decision was subsequently taken to abandon the next two races on the round course with racing resuming with race four,

Star Of Lady M remains on course for Royal Ascot and a £100,000 bonus after winning the Hilary Needler Trophy Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Beverley.

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Winner of her first two starts at Redcar and Ripon, Saturday’s victory in East Yorkshire means she remains in contention for the Yorkshire Wonder Horse prize for the horse that wins at each of the county’s nine tracks up until December 31, 2023.

Upper Helmsley trainer David O’Meara said: “Danny [Tudhope] gave her a great ride and she really dug deep. I suspect the owners might want to go to Ascot. She’s still improving. That’s three wins from four runs now and hopefully there’s more to come.”

Tudhope added: “We got a nice lead today and she picked up well. I don’t see why you wouldn’t go to Ascot.”

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