Fallen Angel at a Newmarket gallop appears exquisite
Before racing at Newmarket on Wednesday, one of a host of elegant three-year-olds was seen in action on the Rowley Mile, including Karl Burke's front-runner in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, Fallen Angel.
Burke was pleased with what he saw, and the Moyglare Stud Stakes winner is among the favourites for the first Classic of the season.
“I was very happy with her and Danny (Tudhope) was delighted,” added Burke. “We’ve got two and a half weeks (before the 1000 Guineas) and she has time for at least one more good piece of work at home. This was always the plan and she needed the gallop for fitness, whereas Night Raider, we brought him here for experience. After watching that and what we saw last year, I think she has a good chance of staying at least a mile and a quarter. She is in the Oaks but we don’t need to worry about that just yet and we will concentrate on the Guineas for now. She’s a filly who saves her best for when she is really asked and as you saw in the Moyglare last year, she looked beat and then was doing her best work crossing the line. I think that will be the same in the Guineas.”
In addition to demonstrating the depth of talent at his yard, Burke also put a live 2000 Guineas contender, the undefeated Night Raider, through two wins out of two on the all-weather track thus far.
With the 113-rated Flight Plan at his back, Dark Angel's son breezed through the exercise.
“We’ve run a few in the Guineas, Lord Shanakill was the first one I think and Flight Plan ran in it with Holloway Boy last year, but we’re going there with two live chances this year, I think,” said Burke. “The filly is obviously the stronger chance, whereas the colt is a very good horse, but inexperience could count against him. He’s a lovely horse going forward and physically and mentally he will improve through the year. He will have learned loads today and that was his first proper gallop on grass. It will be interesting to see how Flight Plan runs next week (at Sandown) – and if he runs well, it might boost our confidence a bit. It’s a fantastic position to be in and we’re very fortunate we have the horses we’ve got at the moment. We’ve got some crackers and all the balloons are full at the moment.”
The Owen Burrows-trained Alyanaabi was also in action; she had most recently placed second in the Dewhurst behind City of Troy, the favourite in the 2000 Guineas. He finished upside an older stablemate.
Burrows said: “Jim (Crowley) said he settled well, which was good because he can be a little keen at home. Mentally, it will do him the world of good and hopefully, he can step forward from it in two and a half weeks.”