Burke planning Saudi trip with Holloway Boy and Al Qareem

Saudi Derby the target for Holloway Boy before 2000 Guineas bid.

Karl Burke has the world’s most valuable race meeting in mind as he plans to target both Holloway Boy and Al Qareem at the Saudi Cup fixture.

Holloway Boy made an exceptional start to his career when winning the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his racecourse debut, after which he was narrowly beaten in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and was then placed in a string of Group races throughout the autumn – including a third-placed run behind Derby favourite Auguste Rodin in the Vertem Futurity Trophy.

The chestnut is to be aimed at the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and will head there via the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

Burke has the $1.5million Saudi Derby in mind for the son of Ulysses, a Group Three contest held at the track’s headline meeting in late February.

“It was always in my mind to give him a prep run before the 2000 Guineas. If we go out to the Saudi Derby, it still gives us the guts of two months into the Guineas,” he said.

Holloway Boy winning at Royal Ascot
Holloway Boy winning at Royal Ascot (Adam Davy/PA)

“Timewise, it’s ideal and the prize money is huge. As long as he’s fit and well at the end of January, I would imagine that’s where we’ll go.

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability. He showed that again in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster when he probably should have been second. The winner, Auguste Rodin, is obviously a very useful horse.”

Holloway Boy has yet to encounter an artificial surface, but Burke was impressed by the dirt track in Riyadh and cites the success of other British-trained horses as an example of its suitably for turf horses.

“I went out for the big meeting earlier this year – some of my owners invited me out there. I was very impressed with everything.

“The jockeys reported the dirt track was very horse friendly compared to some others. The kickback wasn’t as severe, so it helped put it in our minds to give Holloway Boy a chance around there.

Holloway Boy (left) narrowly missing out at Goodwood
Holloway Boy (left) narrowly missing out at Goodwood (Adam Davy/PA)

“I wouldn’t be keen to run him on ‘normal’ dirt but, from what I saw myself and listening to the jockeys, it’s a very kind surface in Saudi.

“Mishriff obviously went out there and won the Saudi Cup in 2021, so it’s proven to be friendly to the European horses so to speak.”

Al Qareem is also due to set sail for the Middle East, with Burke aiming for the Group Three Red Sea Turf Handicap with the Prix Chaudenay victor.

“It’s huge money and a horse like Al Qareem would go there with a chance. If he couldn’t win, he’d have a chance of picking up some big place money,” the trainer said.

“He’s come back in and he’s cantering away steady at the moment. We’ll pick his work up now to Christmas and he’ll work through January. If he’s in good shape at the end of January, we’ll aim him at the Red Sea.

Al Qareem at York
Al Qareem at York (Tim Goode/PA)

“That’s the plan in our heads at the moment, but there is a lot of training to go into him over the next six weeks. When we get to the end of January, we’ll make a firm decision. I’m very pleased with him at the moment.

“We’d hope he could develop into a Cup horse next season. He’s shown a good level of form and he’s only a three-year-old. He’s only a baby really.

“He’s a big-framed horse, so he can strengthen and step up again next year. He’s obviously got to prove it yet, but that’s the type of horse we’re hoping we can turn him into.”

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