Burke considers Breeders’ Cup bid for Dramatised

Ashley Iveson
September 14, 2022 1:00 pm

Queen Mary victor could head to Keeneland.

A trip to the Breeders’ Cup is under consideration for Karl Burke’s speedy juvenile filly Dramatised.

The daughter of Showcasing was hugely impressive on her racecourse debut at Newmarket in the spring and justified her tall reputation with victory in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.

She was disappointing when bidding for her hat-trick in the Lowther at York last month, seemingly failing to see out six furlongs, but Burke has not lost any faith in the youngster.

“She’s had an easy time since York and we’re just starting to do a bit more work with her now – we’re having to just to keep a lid on her. She looks in great shape,” he said.

What a first race to start the day! 👏
Dramatised wins for @karl_burke in the Queen Mary Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | #RoyalAscot |@ascot pic.twitter.com/gYzGY921d9

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 15, 2022

The Spigot Lodge handler views the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland as a suitable target, with Newmarket’s Cornwallis Stakes on October 7 a possible stepping-stone.

Burke added: “I’m not 100 per cent sure where we’re going. The Breeders’ Cup is on our minds and I’d like to have a prep run, but there’s probably only the Group Three Cornwallis and that would mean her carrying a Group Two penalty.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do, but she is in great shape.”

Another Burke-trained juvenile filly who could be in line for a shot at Group One honours is Novakai, who filled the runner-up spot in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last week.

Novakai (left) chases home Polly Pott at Doncaster (Tim Goode/PA)

“I was delighted with her. I made a mistake running her over seven furlongs on fast ground at Newmarket and she looks like she’s going to be a mile-and-a-half filly next year,” said the trainer.

“She’s a high-class filly, she showed what she’s made of the other day and she can only progress through the winter and into her three-year-old career.

“She’ll probably have one more run this season. She’s in the Fillies’ Mile and if the ground came up soft there, I would think that’s where she’ll go.”