Classic contingent: Burke raring for resumption with host of potential stars

Having been thwarted in his bid to beat the shutdown and run two horses abroad, Karl Burke is raring to go for the Flat turf season and hopes he has some Classic contenders among his team.

Neither Kelly's Dino nor Emaraaty Hero will be allowed to take up their entries when racing resumes in Germany next week but their trainer is itching for a resumption in Britain.

"Our horses have been healthy all year, they were running well on the all-weather until lockdown and they're still in great form," he said from his Middleham base. "I have 60 or 70 horses that could run in ten days or two weeks' time if I wanted to."

Lowther Stakes winner Living In The Past and Gimcrack Stakes runner-up Lord Of The Lodge, who made a successful reappearance at Newcastle in February, are among a strong team of three-year-olds at Spigot Lodge.

"Lord Of The Lodge would be a candidate for the 2,000 Guineas," Burke said. "He's in great form. He's a Dandy Man and he's not slow but there's a lot of stamina on his dam's side.

Watch Lord Of The Lodge in the Gimcrack

"We're also thinking of the Guineas for Dubai Station but he looks very quick and could be one for the Commonwealth Cup.

"Yes Always is very smart and a Group filly in the making. She won very well first time out and she's working well at the moment. She had an entry in the 1,000 Guineas and that would still be a possibility, depending on how her prep run goes.

"Living In The Past is doing well. We've more or less decided she'll probably not be going for the Guineas and she's more likely to go for the Commonwealth Cup, with a prep run before if we can."

Karl Burke: trainer believes Do You Love Me 'remains a very promising filly'Credit: Patrick McCann

It is also possible that €3.2 million yearling Do You Love Me, who did not race at two, could force her way in to Classic consideration.

"She is starting to come to hand and please us," Burke said. "The delay in the Oaks gives us a chance.

"She probably wouldn't be ready until the end of May and we'll be looking for a maiden and taking it from there but she remains a very promising filly."

Reflecting on his attempt to run Kelly's Dino and Emaraaty Hero next week, the trainer said: "They told us there will be no foreign horses in Germany until the end of May, they could open it up after then.

"It depends on what happens to lockdown over here and I'd have been very surprised if they'd let us run but we'd have gone if they had."

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