Mason looks another for Karl Burke
Watching Irish Champions Weekend unfold last weekend, a question occurred: Is there a more underrated trainer of top-class equine talent in England or Ireland at the minute than Karl Burke?
The Yorkshire handler brought three horses to Ireland for the most high-profile weekend of the Irish Flat racing calendar and returned to England having won two of the six Group 1s up for grabs after the tenacious Laurens sprang a surprise in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday before Havana Grey made just about all to land the Flying Five at the Curragh on Sunday.
That double brought his top-level success tally to nine since August 2015, a return superior to training greats like Michael Stoute (seven), William Haggas (four), and Mark Johnston (two) in that timeframe.
He is clearly a high-class trainer of high-class talent and in True Mason he has an another exciting prospect who may be able to provide him with another high-profile success by landing the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury today.
The two-year-old has won only one of his five starts to date but that uninspiring return only begins to tale the story. An impressive winner at Nottingham in June, True Mason was then third to the classy Signora Cabello when stepped up to Group 2 level in France on his next start.
Last time out, he was again behind Signora Cabello when third to Pretty Pollyanna in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville, a race where the first and second, smart sorts both, benefited from the fillies’ allowance.
There doesn’t look to be anything of their calibre in opposition today and the fact Burke rates True Mason on a par with previous Mill Reef winners Toocoolforschool (2014) and Lord Shanakill (2008) bodes well for his prospects. A repeat of his Deauville effort might be enough to see him home in front.
Elsewhere at Newbury, Mirage Dancer appeals at the answer in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup Stakes.
The four-year-old has only finished outside of the first two in one his five starts this season and comes here on the back of a decisive win in a Goodwood Group 3 last time out.
He should take plenty beating here.
The Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes, the other Group 3 on the Newbury card, can go the way of top weight Judicial.
Julie Camacho’s charge flopped in the Nunthorpe but won his two starts prior to that York Group 1. It would be no great surprise if he bounced back here.
Equilateral will be a big danger if the mood takes him but the evidence of this season suggests he is not one to be trusted.
The Dubai Duty Free Handicap looks pretty tricky but, having finished first or second in four of his five starts this year, John Gosden’s Stylehunter should be on the premises again.
The big betting race of the day comes from Scotland where Fozzy Stack’s Son Of Rest will bid to become the first Irish-trained winner of the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.
Second in the Flying Five last week, Son Of Rest is officially 10lb well-in so he has to be regarded as a major player but his price — as short as 9-2 at the time of writing – reflects that reality.
With that in mind, preference instead is for Growl at odds of around 9-1. The six-year-old hasn’t won a race since November 2016 but he has run well in defeat of several occasions this season on ground quicker than ideal.
Today’s softer ground should be far more up his street and he may be able to give Richard Fahey a third win in this race.
There are no shortage of dangers, the biggest of which could be Major Jumbo. Having trained the winner of this prestigious handicap four times in the last 11 years, Kevin Ryan knows what’s required to win this race and Finley Marsh’s 5lb claim will aid Major Jumbo’s cause. He shouldn’t be far away.
Ryan also has leading claims in the Group 3 William Hill Firth Of Clyde Stakes where Glass Slippers, successful at Chester and Beverley in his last two starts, is fancied to complete the hat-trick.
The William Hill Ayr Silver Cup Handicap looks fiendishly difficult but, given he won at Chester last weekend and finished second at Haydock a week earlier, Tim Easterby’s Confessional looks overpriced at 25-1.
It’s hard to get away from the top two in the market for the William Hill Supporting The Fight Against Parkinson’s Handicap and slight preference is for Dayking to get the better of the argument with Borodin.
Stylehunter
Dayking
Mirage Dancer (Nap)
Confessional (Each-way)
True Mason (NB)
Glass Slippers
Judicial
Growl
