Preview - York outing offers chance for Karl Burke to continue good run with Aim To Please

The Leyburn handler won the Prix Robert Papin with Unfortunately last Sunday and also had another winner in France on Tuesday.

Aim To Please was bought by John Dance at the Royal Ascot sale for £340,000 and represented former trainer Francois Doumen in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes when finishing a fine fifth.

Down in class and up to an extended mile-and-a-quarter on her first run for Burke, she is expected to go well.

“I’ve been very happy with her but obviously this is her first run for us and it’s a learning curve,” said Burke.

“She came out of Royal Ascot well and she ran a good race there. I think this trip should suit her better, too.

“The ground will be fine, it was a bit quick for her at Ascot, she’s fine at the trip so she should run well.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Roger Varian’s Ajman Princess is giving upwards of 3lb away after her Listed win at Goodwood in May. She is back down in grade having finished third in Group races the last twice.

Varian said: “Ajman Princess was placed in the Ribblesdale Stakes last season, but she started this year as a maiden and I am pleased she has vindicated Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s decision to keep her in training as a four-year-old by becoming a Listed winner, while she has also been placed twice at Group level again.

“We are bringing her back in trip as her main asset is her high cruising speed – she has travelled strongly in all of her races, but the steady early tempo went against her in the Lancashire Oaks and she shapes like she could be an even better filly over 10 furlongs.

“She has a penalty to shoulder here, but she still comes out second best on the weight-adjusted figures, and this is a nice option as the galloping track will play to her strengths, as will the prospect of decent ground.

“This run ought to give us a good indication of how we campaign her for the rest of the season and I am hopeful of a bold showing under these different conditions.”

Dragon Fei has been declared by Irish trainer Dermot McLouglin but her participation is in some doubt.

“I don’t think she’s going to run as they didn’t get as much rain as was forecast,” he said.

“It’s a shame as she’s in foal to Dandy Man and hasn’t got long left before she has to stop running.

“She’s got an entry at Cork next week in a Group Three (Give Thanks Stakes) and if the ground is right she could go there.”

Mittens gets the nod in an intriguing renewal of the Carraig Insurance British EBF Valiant Stakes at Ascot.

Sir Michael Stoute’s filly has gradually found her feet this season, with a couple of placed efforts followed by a runaway success at Newmarket.

That facile victory appeared to give her a major confidence boost as an 8lb hike was nowhere near enough to stop her following up in what looked a decent heat over this course and distance a couple of weeks ago. The daughter of New Approach is on a hat-trick and fully deserves a crack at Listed level.

Silver Starlight should also be followed in a nursery handicap at Thirsk.

Tim Easterby’s grey filly won at Ripon in June and arguably produced just as good a performance when second in a fair sprint at York a fortnight ago.