Quiet Reflection back in business, says trainer Karl Burke

KARL Burke expects stable star Quiet Reflection to be 'spot on' for next month's Qipco Champion Sprint at Ascot.
Quiet Reflection ridden by jockey Dougie Costello on the way to winning the Commonwealth Cup don day four of Royal Ascot last year. Picture: David Davies/PA.Quiet Reflection ridden by jockey Dougie Costello on the way to winning the Commonwealth Cup don day four of Royal Ascot last year. Picture: David Davies/PA.
Quiet Reflection ridden by jockey Dougie Costello on the way to winning the Commonwealth Cup don day four of Royal Ascot last year. Picture: David Davies/PA.

A training setback means she misses this Saturday’s 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock, one of two Group Ones that the flying filly won last year.

However the four-year-old, who has not raced since disappointing at Haydock back in late May, now heads to Ireland for the Renaissance Stakes at Naas on September 24 – a prep race for Ascot.

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“We just ran out of time with her,” the Leyburn trainer told The Yorkshire Post. “We couldn’t be happier with her. We are expecting her to go over there (Naas) with a fighting chance. It will put her spot on for Champions Day.”

There’s every possibility these two races will mark the swansong for Quiet Reflection, who has won seven out of her 11 starts as well as accruing more than £600,000 prize money for the Ontoawinner syndicate, and partners, who own her.

Burke confirmed she will be going to the sales to begin a new career at stud. Given her high-profile successes, he says there’s every reason she’ll fetch the asking price. If not, Quiet Reflection will stay in training.

“She’s been fantastic for the yard,” he said. “An amazing filly. She was disappointing at the start of the year, but she seems right back to herself. It was just a niggling injury that set us back with her.”

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That said, Burke enjoyed a memorable result when Unfortunately led home stablemate Havana Grey in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville last month.

Trainer Karl BurkeTrainer Karl Burke
Trainer Karl Burke

Given both are two-year-olds, hopes are high that their careers can follow a similar trajectory to Quiet Reflection, who won Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup last year in addition to Haydock’s showpiece race.

Havana Grey, says the trainer, will run in the Flying Childers Stakes for sprinters at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting next week while Unfortunately is due to head to Newmarket for the Group One Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs.

“They are both high-class horses in their own right,” added Burke. “The grey horse is a little quicker while Unfortunately has just a bit more stamina.”

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Meanwhile, July Cup hero Harry Angel heads 20 possibles for Sprint Cup following the five-day confirmation stage.

Trainer Karl BurkeTrainer Karl Burke
Trainer Karl Burke

Clive Cox’s highly-talented three-year-old showed his might with an authoritative victory in the six-furlong Group One at Newmarket, and regular partner Adam Kirby reports the speedster to be ready to return to the fray.

“I’ve sat on him since and he’s in good nick. He’s moving well and everything’s good,” said Kirby. “I’ll let him do the talking - I think he’s very good.”

Harry Angel will be opposed by horses who finished behind him that day.

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Runner-up Limato, the Kevin Ryan-trained third Brando, fourth Caravaggio, fifth Intelligence Cross, sixth-placed Growl and last year’s Sprint Cup second The Tin Man, who finished eighth, are all in the frame.

A trip to Doncaster’s St Leger meeting for the William Hill Portland was nominated as a target for North Yorkshire sprinter Tarboosh after victory at Ripon yesterday.

Paul Midgley’s charge was winning for the fourth time since switching from the yard of William Haggas and jockey Paul Mulrennan feels a wind operation may have done the trick. “He’s improving all the time and he was very strong at the line,” said the rider. “The wind operation has given him a new lease of life.”

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