After their inconsistent performances in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, sprinters Spycatcher and Marshman, trained by Karl Burke, seem to have their sights set on the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes.
Having lost a shoe at a crucial point in the Group Three event, the Spycatcher, owned by Highclere Thoroughbreds, was the most impressive of the two Spigot Lodge horses, finishing third and losing by less than a length to winner Washington Heights.
Burke also believes that the circumstances might have worked against his six-year-old, who loves the soft ground and was just a short head away from winning Group One in France last summer.
If conditions at York are not suitable for Spycatcher, the Curragh's Group Two Greenlands Stakes on May 25 is held in reserve. However, the Middleham handler is optimistic that both can try their luck in the six-furlong race on the Knavesmire.
“Hopefully, the ground is right for the pair of them to go to York for the Duke Of York,” said Burke. “Spycatcher obviously wants to cut in the ground and if it turns up firm there, then Marshman would go to York and Spycatcher is in a race in Ireland, the Greenlands. Spycatcher ran a cracking race and he’s only just come to himself. I think if you ran it on the first day (of the meeting), with a bit more juice in the ground, he just might have won. He pulled a shoe off just at the top of the dip and Clifford (Lee, jockey) said he felt it and just lost his balance for a stride or two. I think it probably cost him second, but on soft ground, I think he would have won.”
“Marshman was disappointing and we’ve run him twice at Newmarket now and he’s run moderately,” continued Burke. “Sam (James, jockey) was adamant he hated the undulations and although he was very keen when we ran him in the Middle Park, I would say he wanted a flat track. If you look back; Doncaster, Chantilly, Deauville are the tracks where he’s been at his best. He’s a good horse with a lot of ability, but he’s a bit quirky.”