Trainer Karl Burke is the unanimous selection for the 2018 Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy, Goffs UK announced on Friday. The award, which commemorates the co-founder of DBS, now Goffs UK, is given on a yearly basis to the person or persons whom the Goffs UK Board feel have made the biggest contribution to the success of the company during the year.
Burke has celebrated recent top-level success with Goffs UK graduates Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who was the 2016 Cartier Champion Sprinter and Classic heroine and five-time Group 1 winner Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).
“Karl has been a huge supporter of our sales, both as a horses-in-training vendor and a purchaser, and we are delighted to present him with the Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy,” said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby. “Karl's dedication to his craft has deservedly seen him reap big rewards, more recently with Quiet Reflection providing him with his first Royal Ascot winner in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup and Laurens giving him his first Classic victory in the Group 1 Prix de Diane last season. Both horses have been a resounding success, Laurens in particular being probably the best horse to come from our Premier Yearling Sale, and are a testament to his ability as a trainer. We will see more of Laurens this season and we wish Karl and his team all the best for the season ahead.”
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