3 minute read
"We only have to maintain our form from the Curragh for us to be the one to beat."
Karl Burke appears to be oozing confidence ahead of Fallen Angel's tilt at the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
A winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old, Fallen Angel was sent off at the top of the market to give trainer Karl Burke his first British Classic winner in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot would ultimately disappoint on the Rowley Mile, but soon proved what she was capable of on the big stage when bouncing back to land the Irish equivalent in fine style at the Curragh a few weeks later.
A trip to Ascot awaits for Karl Burke's star filly and the Spigot Lodge handler certainly isn't hiding his confidence as he gears Fallen Angel for a crack at the Coronation Stakes, where she's set to renewal rivalry with Roger Varian's 1000 Guineas heroine Elmalka and Aidan O'Brien's Opera Singer, who finished third behind her at the Curragh last time.
"She's in great form, came back from Ireland in good order, she did a nice piece of work on Tuesday, and we couldn't be happier with her," said Burke on Sky Sports Racing.
"I thought it was a fantastic performance at the Curragh, to be honest. She got into a great rhythm early and watching from the stands from halfway, I was pretty relaxed, I thought we had them all covered, and I knew she'd keep galloping right to the line.
"It will be an interesting race, there are some great fillies in there and obviously, Aidan's filly that was behind us at the Curragh is going to step forward, but they need to step forward, we only have to maintain our form from the Curragh for us to be the one to beat and, if anything, I don't see why she can't improve again.
"I don't think she's ground dependent whatsoever, if it's good ground or on the easy side of good or just on the quicker side of good, it will make no difference to Fallen Angel."
Whilst clearly effective over a mile, Burke already has plans to step his leading filly up to a mile and a quarter later in the season. "I would be strongly saying that she'll stay further. We toyed with the idea of going for the Prix de Diane on Sunday, but we'll save the step up for later in the year – there's only one Royal Ascot," said the trainer.
He added: "The Nassau is one (possible race) at Goodwood, but I'd say she'll have a short break after Ascot. She'll have a short break after this, as she's had three quickish runs and been prepared all winter for a Guineas, so she'll have a short break and we'll bring her back in August, I'd imagine."
