'We go there with a few chances' - Karl Burke bullish as Royal Ascot squad continues to strengthen

Karl Burke added another serious contender to his Royal Ascot team on Wednesday and spoke positively about his chances of following last year’s two winners at the royal meeting.

The North Yorkshire-based trainer landed the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes with Dramatised before causing a 40-1 shock in the Listed Chesham Stakes with debutant Holloway Boy in 2022. And with less than two weeks until the royal meeting, Burke is assembling a formidable squad and is pleased with how preparations are going.

He said: "We’re on target for all of them. It’ll be a nervous time over the next two weeks because a lot can go wrong in 24 hours, never mind 14 days. 

"Hopefully we get them all there in the shape they should be. It would be great if we can get one winner, but we go there with a few chances."

After landing the Queen Mary with Dramatised 12 months ago, the trainer has another leading contender this time round with Beautiful Diamond, who was an impressive debut winner at Nottingham on Wednesday.

Dramatised was last seen when winning the Temple Stakes at Haydock and will step up to Group 1 company again to tackle the King’s Stand on the opening day, for which she is a general 6-1 chance.

Burke said: "She’s not worked since the Temple, but she’s due to work on Friday and will definitely step forward. She did a very simple piece of work on Tuesday but she did it very strongly and I’m very happy with her.

"It was a competitive race taking on the older horses and I know she was getting weight and fillies' allowance, but it’s still tough for those three-year-old sprinting fillies. There’s not a lot of her and she was dwarfed by some of those big sprinters in the paddock, but she possesses a lot of speed."

Karl Burke: burgeoning squad for this month's royal meetingCredit: Edward Whitaker

Meanwhile, Marshman picked up some valuable prize-money when third in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene at Chantilly on Sunday.

On his Royal Ascot target, Burke added: "At the moment I’d say he’d go for the King’s Stand rather than the Commonwealth. He only arrived back late Monday night and all is well with him."

Elite Status maintained his unbeaten record when winning the Listed National Stakes at Sandown last month, and Burke has been impressed with his home work as he sits top of the market for the Norfolk.

He added: "It’s definitely the Norfolk for him, all being well. He looks a very good horse and he goes there with a major chance.

"He will stay six furlongs, but there’s no rush to step him up to a Coventry or something like that just yet."

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