Darnation too good for May Hill rivals

Ashley Iveson
September 14, 2023 2:57 pm

Karl Burke’s filly now 10-1 for the 1000 Guineas after Doncaster glory.

Karl Burke strengthened his grip on the juvenile fillies’ division when Darnation ran out a ready winner of the Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Fallen Angel had already stated her case to be the leading two-year-old filly when impressing in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland last weekend.

Now it appears one of her biggest rivals for top honours may be based in the same Leyburn yard in North Yorkshire after Darnation’s price for next year’s 1000 Guineas was halved from 20s to 10-1 by Coral.

Darnation does it well in the G2 May Hill at @DoncasterRaces for @CliffordleexLee and @karl_burke! pic.twitter.com/fAvj4JAxaf
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) September 14, 2023

Impressive in soft ground last time out in a Group Three at Goodwood, she had less questions to answer than most and when one of her market rivals, Ollie Sangster’s Romanova, got wound up going to post and ran keen in the early stages, there was one less to worry about.

See The Fire did follow Darnation through and looked a danger, but Clifford Lee was able to keep a bit up his sleeve and the 11-10 favourite bounded three lengths clear.

“They didn’t go quick and when I asked her, she quickened up really well for a few strides and then galloped on towards the line,” said Lee.

“She’s very good and I’d like to see her next year when she’s physically and mentally stronger.

“She handles that soft ground, she does stay very well and she does have a bit of boot about her as well, so we’ll see next year how we get on.”

Burke was not on track, but said: “She’s a classy filly, on that ground she’s very good. We’ll have to see how she is on quicker ground but she’s tough, she stays and she’s just very good.

“She’s not in the Fillies’ Mile but she is in the Prix Marcel Boussac. I haven’t spoken to the owners but she’d be more likely to get her ground in France.

“Who knows about next year? She’s not the biggest in the world, but she should strengthen up even if she doesn’t grow much and if she bumps into soft ground she could be anything.

“On fast ground Fallen Angel would be in front of her, but ground is the key to this filly.

“I was all set to come today but I had a busy morning and decided not to. They don’t run any faster for me being there!”