Tom Eaves hopes to make one of the few top sprints he has failed to make in the favourite Sprint Cup Stakes (G1) Inisherin at Haydock Park racecourse on September 7.
He was just a hair’s breadth away from finishing fourth at the Beverley Bullet on 31 August, but he has often finished first in speed tests.
Eaves has won two Prix de l’Abbayes (G1), one Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1), one Flying Five Stakes (G1) and one Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) in the past 13 years.
He added a new Group 1 to his collection by winning the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Inisherin at Royal Ascot—only his second winner at this meeting, 16 years after his first.
He is now aiming for a maiden Sprint Cup win, as James Doyle and then Andrea Atzeni have joined as his boss Kevin Ryan attacks. Hello Youmzain in 2019 and Emaraaty Ana two years later
Inisherin, who Eaves called a “machine” after Commonwealth’s win, needs to get back to form after finishing fifth in the July Cup Stakes (G1).
“Newmarket is not his track and we just want to put that out of the way,” said Eaves.
“I rode him in his work last Saturday and he was in great form. It’s a Group 1 race so it’s very competitive but we’re looking forward to it. I’ve never won and it would be great if I could do it.”
Burke targets talented trio
Everyone thinks 2023 is the season of Karl Burke’s career—two Group 1 wins and £3.13 million in British prize money alone would make it a season to remember.
Except he could top that winning streak and break the earnings record on Saturday, with nearly four months left in the year.
The man won the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) in the spring with Fallen Angel have thought long Elite status could have achieved this point if he had overlooked one small mistake.
And his sprinter has performed well in his two outings at Newbury this term, finishing in listed company in May and then returning to beat Group 3 opponents in spectacular fashion in July.
Burke has been training him for this race ever since and said: “We think he’s very good. It looks like a competitive race and we’ll see how good he is.
“He broke the track record the first time at Newbury, when he needed a bit of running, and the second time he broke his own record. That shows he is top class. He deserves a chance in a Group 1.”
Burke also ran. Rock who was caught in the last half furlong when finishing a close second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) and July Cup.
“She’s very strong and in great shape,” he said. “It’s a shame she didn’t win the Group 1 and it’s as tough a race as the others she’s run but she’ll definitely run her race.”
Burke pulled Kidnapper out that day last year and said: “The dry ground will be against him but as long as there is softness in the description then he is definitely a runner. He is in great form.”
Each of the trio has high charisma and the trainer said: “If there is a bias then I hope it is high numbers, usually on that track.”
