Plans are coming together for Karl Burke’s talented juvenile team ahead of the Qatar Goodwood Festival later this month.
Burke is having another fantastic season with two-year-olds and already has horses in mind for some of the principal Group races, as well as the valuable maidens at the prestigious meeting on the Sussex Downs.
Reciprocated, a son of Havana Grey owned by Sheikh Obaid, is two from two after backing up his 14/1 debut triumph at Nottingham with a straightforward success when odds-on under a penalty at Carlisle and holds a Group 1 entry at the Curragh among other options.
“Reciprocated might run next week in the Listed race at Ascot but he could definitely go to the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood,” Burke said.
“It looked a hot race on his debut, it was only of those races with trainers potentially running their two-year-olds before Ascot. We went there thinking if we finished third or fourth that’d be fine and he run really we. He followed that up at Carlisle afterwards as well and he’s a nice colt.
“He would want just a little bit of juice in the ground probably, I think he stays really well and seven furlongs will be his trip.”
Azizam is another colt by the same sire and he too won first time out before a fine third behind Havana Hurricane in the Windsor Castle Stakes when last seen.
Burke has revealed the juvenile has since changed hands and will be heading to the States after taking his chance in Group 2 company over six furlongs at Goodwood.
He said: “Azizam was placed at Royal Ascot and will definitely go to Goodwood, he’s been bought by some American clients and will go out to America afterwards. He’s only really staying with us to go to Goodwood.
“He was staying on well at Ascot and will probably go for the Richmond Stakes. He’s worked really well this week.”
Super Soldier is unlikely to join Azizam in the Richmond, with a return trip to France preferred this weekend, but Burke has particularly high hopes for two major maiden events at the big meeting which runs from Tuesday July 29 to Saturday August 2.
Burke said: “Super Soldier might go to Chantilly this Sunday, that race has broken up a little bit, otherwise he might have been going to Goodwood, possibly in the Richmond.
“Naval Light ran in the Norfolk but he’s a proper six-furlong horse. Wathnan had two or three fancied ones in the Coventry – I’m not saying he’d have won the Coventry but he wasn’t quite quick enough for five. Although he ran very well at Beverley first time up.
“He goes for the six-furlong maiden at Goodwood and I’d say he’ll take a bit of beating in that providing he gets there in good shape.
“Aylin ran at York the other day – she’s an Al Shaqab and Amo-owned filly. She’s entered in the Sky Bet Lowther but David Egan rode her and though she’d want seven furlongs. She’ll go to Goodwood and run in the fillies’ maiden there, the seven-furlong race.
“Hankelow won at York and he’s a lovely horse. He might not go to Goodwood but is certainly a horse for later in the season. He’s a really nice colt.”
Sun shines on for red-hot team
One of Burke’s star two-year-olds of the current campaign, Venetian Sun, maintained her unbeaten record in last week’s Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, hanging on by a neck in what was ultimately a hard-fought contest.
She’s set for a quiet couple of weeks but is reported in good shape as the trainer considers his next move.
He said: “Venetian Sun came out of the race really well, she’s just having a week on the treadmill but she’s a very exciting filly. A few people are crabbing what she did the other day but we’re not too concerned about that as she wasn’t really prepped to go into that race and it was a last-minute decision to run her as it would have been a hard race not to go for once we’d seen the entries.
“She made her ground up very quickly from the three to the furlong marker and was in front plenty soon enough. The ground was fast again at the track probably wasn’t to her advantage but I think she’s a very good filly.”
The Middleham trainer was talking at the launch of the 17th edition of the Sky Bet Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival from Catterick Racecourse on Wednesday and he revealed he has options in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday week, with Royal Champion in line for the race providing the weather holds and the ground remains favourable.
He said: “Royal Champion will run in the Sky Bet York Stakes if the ground is quick, if it happens to rain then we might look to run Royal Rhyme instead. But Royal Champion could be perfect for that race.”
The Burke yard will be well represented throughout the GRIY Summer Festival, and the trainer revealed another youngster who could be worth keeping on side at Beverley on Monday evening.
He said: “I run a two-year-old in the maiden at Beverley called Victor Cee, he’d go there with a chance. He probably wants six furlongs really but the stiff five will suit him well. He was in at Hamilton as well but we’ve decided to go there instead, it looks an easier race.”
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