Burrows pleased with small but select Ascot team

Chris Phillips
June 24, 2024 3:57 pm

Trainer had five runners with three in the first five.

Owen Burrows is targeting a step up in trip for Alyanaabi after his defeat to Rosallion in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Too Darn Hot colt finished fifth, four and three-quarter lengths behind the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and the Lambourn handler feels his charge just lacks an extra gear over a mile and needs further to get the best out of him.

Alyanaabi won the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket last season before finding City Of Troy too good in the Dewhurst.

Alyanaabi is a likeable colt — Alyanaabi is looking to step up in trip (PA)

After a step up to a mile this term, he has twice finished fifth at Group One level but is crying out for a longer trip.

Burrows said: “He’s probably run to a similar level to what he did in the Guineas.

“It’s a very strong year for the three-year-olds over a mile. And Jim (Crowley) just felt that we probably just want to be going a little bit further next time.

“He’s not quite able over a mile but when we do step him up to 10 (furlongs) he can improve a bit.

“It’s early days yet so we’ll see how he’s come out of it but he seems fine. He’s run a tidy enough race but we’ll go a little bit further with him.”

Alflaila turned in a creditable performance after 284 days off the track with a fourth place behind Auguste Rodin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

His lay-off was apparent as he weakened over the final furlong to come home three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner but Burrows was delighted with his return.

He said: “I was pleased with him, I thought it was a solid run after 280 odd days off. It wasn’t helpful he got slightly hampered late on, but I’m not making excuses and I’m not sure it would have made too much difference anyway.

“He seems fine coming out of it and we’ll see where we’ll go next. We’re not 100 per cent certain yet.”

Jim Crowley struggled to find a gap on Rowayeh (David Davies/PA)

Rowayeh struggled for room as she came home fourth behind Doha in the Kensington Palace Stakes.

Burrows is convinced she would have been in the mix at the business end of the race with a little bit more luck.

He added: “Jim kicked himself a bit. He wishes he’d stayed where he was drawn. We’d spoken and thought she’d been better with a little bit of cover.

“Where he was, drawn 16, there was a bit of split to his left so he went to the right to get the cover and unfortunately it didn’t really open up for him until late on.

“Interestingly they didn’t actually go very fast, which is unusual for Ascot but I felt she would have been up the backsides of the first two if she’d have been able to get a clearer run.

“Whether or not she would have won, I’m not sure, but I’m sure she would have been a fair bit closer to them.”