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Karl Burke’s Elite Status confirmed his Royal Ascot credentials with a sparkling performance in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown on Thursday’s lucrative card.

The Karl Burke-trained Elite Status (5/2) was well-backed on debut and duly obliged when running out a clear winner at Doncaster earlier in the month.

However, even that impressive debut performance couldn't prepare you for what he was about to produce at Sandown on his second start.

The pace looked generous in the early stages with James Tate's Blue Storm making the running alongside the usually favoured far-side rail. The son of Blue Point kicked for home approaching the two-furlong pole, but the move was always covered by Elite Status, and he soon loomed upsides under a confident-looking Clifford Lee. It was here Elite Status hit top gear and the response was immediate. The striking Havana Grey Colt quickened up in ultra-impressive style and put a fiercely competitive-looking field on paper to the sword with a resounding five-length success. World Of Darcy (11/1) stuck on well from an uncompromising position to make it a one-two for the Burke team with Hugo Palmer's Hackman (8/1) finishing a further length back in third.

Bookmakers were equally as impressed, and Paddy Power go 2/1 for Elite Status in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Karl Burke said to Racing TV: "He's a lovely horse. He's got a lot more scope than his sire. I think he has the potential to be a very, very good sprinter."

"[He's got a] lovely temperament, great mind - Havana Grey had a great mind as well, to be fair - nothing really fazes him, but if something spooks him he'll let you know he's there."

When asked whether he believes Elite Status can exceed Havana Grey's exploits Burke said: "I do, and I don't say that being unkind or detrimental to Havana Grey. This fella has a lot more scope than Havana Grey did and does things very easily as you've seen there. And he's not fully wound up by any means."