After his thrilling triumph at Newmarket on Friday, Caviar Heights looks more and more likely to start in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes the following week.
The Sea The Stars colt, who was previously trained by Andrew Balding, made his first appearance for Karl Burke last month and finished a respectable third as a 50-1 chance for the Feilden Stakes. He then made another big improvement to improve by two places when he returned to the Rowley Mile for the Newmarket Stakes.
Burke is currently anticipating a quick climb in class for one of the top trials in Britain for the Betfred Derby at York the following week, but it's unclear if the main Classic itself will end up being a good goal.
“He was brilliant and he’ll be confirmed for the Dante. Obviously we don’t have to do too much work with him, he’s had his two runs already, so he could easily turn up there,” said the trainer. “I don’t know (about the Derby), there’s a lot of speed in the family. I’m not saying he won’t stay a mile and a half, but the pedigree wouldn’t be obvious, although he’s by Sea The Stars. He’s a bit of a relentless galloper and you can make plenty of use of him over that mile and a quarter, so we’ll see how things play out.”
At the Guineas Festival, Caviar Heights was one of two winners for Burke and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. On Saturday, Liberty Lane recovered from their defeat in Lincoln to take home a lucrative handicap on the 2000 Guineas undercard.
Beautiful Diamond, who was close to third in the Group Three Palace House Stakes that same afternoon, also impressed the North Yorkshire trainer.