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Just four days on from Fallen Angel’s Group 1 success in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, trainer Karl Burke will be hoping for another big-race victory as Darnation bids to land the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
Karl Burke, who landed the 2017 May Hills with star filly Laurens, is happy to admit that Darnation probably doesn't possess the same class as his recent Group 1 scorer but suggests she certainly has plenty in her favour ahead of this Group 2 assignment on the Town Moor.
Darnation, who is also by the same sire as Fallen Angel – Too Darn Hot, impressed when winning a Thirsk novice event in July and took to step up to Group company in her stride by staying on powerfully in testing conditions to land the Prestige Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood last month.
The Spigot Lodge handler said: "The trip, the track, the ground and everything will suit. She's not a flashy work horse at home, but she seems very well and any rain I would imagine will be to her advantage – it certainly won't be a disadvantage to her.
"She was very tough down at Goodwood and she put up a very good performance to break her maiden at Thirsk. That form was franked to a degree, with the second horse [Nighteyes] that she beat 10 lengths coming out and winning next time.
"I can't hand on heart say she's in the league of Fallen Angel, but she's obviously a talented filly and she goes there as the top-rated horse in the race, so it's very exciting."
An official rating of 102 puts her 5lb clear of the reopposing Hard To Resist, who finished third in the aforementioned Prestige Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood for trainer William Haggas and HM The King and HM The Queen.
Speaking with Sky Sports Racing, Haggas said: "She ran well at Goodwood, staying on well behind Darnation. Unfortunately, Darnation has got a good draw, as have we, and hopefully, we can do a bit better, but Darnation is the one to beat,"
"Both Cieren Fallon, who won on her at Newmarket, and Saffie Osborne, who rode her at Goodwood, reported that she'll be better on better ground, so if it does dry up a bit that will suit her."
Darnation is a general 11/8 chance to land the Group 2 May Hill Stakes ahead of both Romanova and Hard To Resist, who sit around the 5/1 and 11/2 markers.