Burke juveniles to watch out for

The Chester May meeting got underway on Wednesday with Aidan O'Brien dominating the Classic trials. Unfortunately, the Top 40 Prospects drawing a blank. While one ran well in the Chester Vase, the other two were disappointing following slow starts and immediately forfeiting favourable draws. Even allowing for their below par efforts, I must confess I struggled to get enthusiastic about Wednesday's action and neither Thursday or Friday's cards are inspiring. Unfortunately, due to the prevailing dry ground there are only nine entries for the Group 2 Duke of York and Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York next week. Group 1 winners Kind of Blue and Montassib don't feature in the former event, almost certainly due to the underfoot conditions, and it is interesting to note Ryan Moore has already been booked for another Group 1 winner Inisherin. Tom Eaves had partnered the four year old in six of his previous seven starts, including when successful in the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup last season. 

Karl Burke has made a tremendous start with his two year olds in 2025 sending out 10 winners from 14 runners. The head of Spigot Lodge Stables in Middleham has made two entries in the five furlongs novice stakes at York on the opening day of the Dante Festival on Wednesday. They include the Amo Racing owned Jan Steen who won convincinly on his debut at Thirsk last month. The yard's other entry is the highly regarded Roy Lane. A colt by Showcasing who cost £90,000 as a yearling, he is a full-brother to former stable companion and Listed winner Lady In France and a half-brother to Group 3 winning sprinter Stepper Point. Owned by Middlesbrough Football Club chairman Steve Gibson, he has reportedly shown plenty at home.

Burke has taken charge of three recent breeze-up purchases belonging to Wathnan Racing. Royal Ascot winning juveniles Leovanni (£190,000) and Shareholder (€460,000) were breeze-up buys for the same connections last year and it would be no surprise if the following trio make a major impact in the coming weeks before heading to the Royal meeting. Enchant is a filly by Wootton Bassett out of Sarrochi who was bought for £300,000 at the Goffs UK breeze-ups, Naval Light is a colt by Havana Grey out of Ventura Jazz. He cost a cool 360,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven breeze-ups at Newmarket last month. Finally, Zelaina is a daughter of Mehmas out of Atlantic Drift who was purchased for £650,000 at the Goffs UK breeze-ups. 

Value Racing Club's excellent form continued on Thursday with Knight's Affair winning on his hurdling bow at Huntingdon. A dual winner on the Flat for David O'Meara and rated 78, the five year old was acquired for 21,000gns last Autumn. Despite showing signs of inexperience, the Jamie Snowden trainer runner made good headway down the backstraight before taking control at the third last. Kept up to his work, the Bated Breath gelding stayed on well to score by a length. Forty eight hours earlier, the same syndicate's Back In The Bay made all at Fakenham for James Owen.