Karl Burke Stable Tour

Plenty of class to work with as Karl Burke eyes major prizes in 2020

Outstanding filly Laurens may have left Spigot Lodge but that does not mean Karl Burke is short on star quality. Far from it.

A stable star who landed six Group 1 races is a hard act to follow but Lowther Stakes winner Living In The Past and Gimcrack runner-up Lord Of The Lodge proved themselves in Pattern company as juveniles last season.

The four-year-old sprint trio Hareem Queen, Lady In France and True Mason are also expected to make their mark in stakes races, while three-year-olds Dubai Station and Yes Always could both figure at the highest level.

Lord Of The Lodge contributed to a flying start to the year for the trainer, his victory at Newcastle in February being one of 12 for the yard before racing was shut down.

Burke is itching to pick up where he left off when the action resumes and has nominated opening-week targets for a dozen of the horses in this stable tour.

Stable Facts

 Yard – Spigot Lodge

 Where – Middleham, North Yorkshire

 Started training – 1991

Horses in yard – 130

 Strike-rate last season – 12%

 Total prize-money 2019 – £1,105,044

 Members of staff – 45

 Assistant trainers – Joe O’Gorman, Lucy Burke

 Head grooms – Gary Moss, Jenny Walker

 Jockeys – Ben Curtis, Clifford Lee, Rhona Pindar, Harrison Shaw. PJ McDonald rides John Dance’s horses, Danny Tudhope rides Clipper Logistics horses

 Website – karlburke.co.uk

 2019 – 68

 2018 – 71

 2017- 74

 2016- 68

 2015- 57

 2019 – £107.58

 2018 – £60.30

 2017 – £0.68

 2016 – £16.74

 2015 – £129.00

Older Horses

 4yo gelding Zoffany (sire) – By The Edge (dam)

 Owner: John Dance

 Form figures: 208-161

 Racing Post Rating (RPR): 94 Official rating: 88

He loves the slow surface at Southwell and has been helped by the visor. There’s no reason why he can’t be as good on turf, with cut in the ground. Where and when he’s going to get that is anybody’s guess at the moment! He has a lot of speed and I’d be loath to go further than 5f.

4 f Dark Angel – Dulcian

 Owner: John Dance

 Form figures: 112-311

 RPR: 100 OR 96

She’s filled her frame really well and is on an upward curve. I wasn’t sure she’d handle Lingfield last time but she did it well. She could go for the Palace House Stakes or the Abernant at Newmarket, depending on the ground – she’s a Dark Angel and wants a bit of cut. She looks as though she’ll get 6f.

7 g Doctor Dino – Sabolienne

 Owner: Liam Kelly & Mrs E Burke

 Form figures: 15108-2

 RPR:  112 OR 106

He’s a stable favourite who ran well first time out in France, where he’d have needed it. He doesn’t look as though he’s regressed but he won’t be easy to place, he’ll be aimed at the Ebor if he can get in but the programme’s going to be so diluted he’ll have to run where he can.

4 f Showcasing – Sacre Coeur

 Owner: Clipper Logistics

 Form figures: 12418-

 RPR: 104 OR 100

She’s progressive on soft ground and could be aimed at the Palace House. She may have to have another go at 6f, though she didn’t seem to get it when we tried her and she’s very quick. She reminds me a lot of Quiet Reflection, she’s got a very high cruising speed on slow ground and can quicken off it.  

5 g Mayson – Fairy Shoes

 Owner: D J Mackay & Mrs E Burke

 Form figures: 221/820-

 RPR: 100 OR 94

He wasn’t moving well last year but has had a good break and is looking and moving fantastically now. He can be competitive in decent handicaps with cut in the ground – he’s quick enough for 6f when he’s in form.

4 g Battle Of Marengo – Lost Highway

 Owner: Carl Waters & Mrs E Burke

 Form figures: 42185-

 RPR:  84 OR 81

I hope he’ll run on the first day back, there’s a mile race for him at Newcastle where he ran very well last year. He’s working very well. He was beaten after 4f when we tried him over 1m2f but we may try that trip again.

5 g Mayson – Iridescence

 Owner: Ontoawinner 14 & Mrs E Burke

 Form figures: 593-143

 RPR: 104 OR 95

Another Mayson who wants cut in the ground so he’ll be limited at this time of the year but he’ll be aimed at decent handicaps and we wouldn’t be averse to putting him in a valuable claimer.

4 g Mayson – Marysienka

 Owner: Khalifa Dasmal

 Form figures: 440408-

 RPR: 107 OR 95

I finally relented and had him gelded and he looks every bit the horse I hoped he’d be with his tackle intact. I think he has the ability to be the first Mayson to win a Group race, so he’s well handicapped off 95. There’s a 6f handicap at Newmarket in the first week and he’ll probably go there if the ground isn’t too fast. He doesn’t need the visor now.

4 c Moohaajim – Nellie Forbush

 Owner: S P C Woods

 Form figures: 11425-

 RPR: 103 OR 98

He’s very good and we’ve only got him for a few more runs as owner Sean Woods is setting up training again – I’m dying for racing to get going again before he leaves! He’s improved again through the winter and will probably go for the Listed mile at Newmarket on Guineas weekend.

9 g Firebreak – My Sweet Georgia

 Owner: Market Avenue Racing Club & Tim Dykes

 Form figures: 2/67039/

 RPR: 111 OR 103

He’s been off since 2017 but is over his injury and working better than he used to. He wants cut in the ground and a mark of 103 is higher than ideal after a lay-off but he’ll probably run in a mile handicap at Newcastle next week and we’ll see how he goes. 

Three Year Olds

3 c Mayson – Bruni Heinke

 Owner: David W Armstrong

 Form figures: 232111-

 RPR: 94 OR 98

I think he’s up to getting black type but he needs soft ground and he’s missed a lot of the three-year-old races he was going to be aimed at – he’s in great form but I’m not sure where he’ll start. 

3 f Gleneagles – Sugar Mill

 Owner: John Dance

 Form figures:71-

 RPR: 72 OR –

She did well to win at Catterick at the back-end as she was very weak. She’s strengthened nicely and could be one to follow off a reasonable handicap mark. She’ll definitely stay a mile and may get a little further.  

3 g Malibu Moon – Contentious

 Owner: C Waters

 Form figures: 166-

 RPR: 95 OR 97

He’s been gelded and done really well since last year. He’ll be hard to place in the early part of the season as a three-year-old 5f sprinter but he has a fair bit of speed and if we’re patient that will pay dividends later on.

3 f Galileo – Green Room

 Form figures: Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited

 RPR: Unraced

She’s very well bred and having been backward and weak last year she’s getting there now, working nicely. I’d hope to have her out in mid-June and we’ll see what she can do – she remains very promising.

3 c Brazen Beau – Princess Guest

 Owner: Ahmad Alshaikh & Co

 Form figures: 213300-

 RPR: 97 OR 99

I’m very excited about him, he’s done really well through the winter and we’ve ironed out a few niggles. He’s working very well and runs in the Pavilion Stakes over 6f at Newcastle on June 4, with a view to going for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. There’s a good chance he’ll stay 7f but not a mile, he’s very quick. 

3 c Lope De Vega – Valtina

 Owner: Ahmad Al Shaikh

 Form figures: 37-

 RPR: 75 OR –

He ran very well first time then didn’t really handle soft ground at Newmarket. He was very weak then but he’s done well and is working nicely. We’re hopeful he’ll be a Group horse but he’s got to do it on the track and win a maiden first.

3 g Bungle Inthejungle – Havinaconniption

 Owner: Castlehill Thoroughbreds Racing Club

 Form figures: 14-

 RPR: 96 OR –

He’s an interesting new recruit but a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde and not the most straightforward to train – he’s got two speeds, very steady and flat out. He showed a lot of ability in winning his first start in Ireland and he’ll probably go for a 5f novice race at Lingfield.

3 c Fountain Of Youth – Itsinthestars

 Owner: Bearstone Stud Limited

 Form figures: 2124-

 RPR:  91 OR 92

He didn’t show much in the early part of last year then suddenly picked up, ran a blinder first time and kept improving. He does nothing at home so is hard to assess but he looks great. He was going to go for a Guineas trial but we’re now looking at a three-year-old mile handicap at Newcastle, where he ran well last year.   

3 g Invincible Spirit – Ana Luna

 Owner: R Sinclair, A Sundstrom & Ilse Smits

 Form figures: 5327-

 RPR: 79 OR 78

He’s been gelded, filled his frame well and could be an improved horse. He’s another lazy workhorse who isn’t easy to assess but I hope he can win a nice race or two off his mark.

3 f Acclamation – Wild Academy

 Owner: Phoenix Ladies Syndicate~

 Form figures: 1

 RPR: 71 OR –

She’s a very nice filly who won at Wolverhampton in March and is another who’ll probably go to Newcastle on the first day, when there’s a 6f novice race for her. She’s working well and looks fantastic.

3 f Bungle Inthejungle – Ayr Missile

 Owner: Clipper Logistics

 Form figures: 313150-

 RPR: 109 OR 106

She came back late as she was given an extra month after her trip to the Breeders’ Cup and has taken a while to come to herself. She looks good now and will probably go for the Cecil Frail at Haydock on June 7 – she has to take on older horses but has no penalty for her Group 2 win. She’ll keep improving through the year and is a filly for 6f, rather than 7f or a mile.

3 c Dandy Man – Archetypal

 Owner: Mrs Elaine M Burke

 Form figures: 10612-1

 RPR: 109 OR 109

He’s trained well all winter and was only 80 per cent fit when he won at Newcastle, if that. We’re very excited about him and he could go for the 2,000 Guineas or wait for the Jersey Stakes, or possibly run in both. Not many Dandy Mans get a mile but there’s a lot of stamina on his dam’s side and I think he’s got a good chance of staying the trip. He’s a very good horse and working like one.

3 f No Nay Never – Meeting In Paris

 Owner: Ontoawinner, A Marsh And E Burke

 Form figures: 185-

 RPR: 83 OR 82

She had a few issues with her back and didn’t handle going round Wolverhampton because of that. We’ve sorted that but we’ll keep her to a straight track and there’s a three-year-old 6f race for her at Haydock on June 8. She’ll certainly be winning more races.

3 c Mayson – Lydiate

 Form figures: 103720-

 RPR: 96 OR 95

He’s done well through the winter but is another Mayson who wants cut and won’t find it easy as a three-year-old sprinter in the next two or three months. He’ll come good in the autumn and I hope he’ll be a solid handicapper who could possibly go on to Listed races – he’ll get 6f and has a chance of staying 7f.

3 g Night Of Thunder – First Party

 Owner: H Strecker & Mrs E Burke

 Form figures: 100-

 RPR: 84 OR 80

He was very hard to settle last year and is a lot better now he’s been gelded. He’s more amenable and will start in a 5f three-year-old race at Haydock in the first week. He won impressively first time out last year and should train on.

3 f No Nay Never – Flavia Tatiana

 Owner: The Cool Silk Partnership

 Form figures: 1-

 RPR: 74 OR –

She’s an exciting filly who could go for the 1,000 Guineas. She’s not guaranteed to get a mile on pedigree and we’d been planning to run her in a trial. She won very well on her debut and she’s working well.

Two for the tracker

Lord Of The Lodge: “He’s a class horse and he could be a big international horse for us over the next year or so.”

Little Red Socks: “We’re hopeful that she hasn’t stopped winning”

Star quality

 Lord Of The Lodge

Dark horse

 Emaraty Hero