Clifford Lee

Trainer Karl Burke's banner season continued apace on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger Festival after G3 Prestige S. victrix Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) added lustre to her palmares with a clear-cut triumph in Thursday's G2 Betfred May Hill S. over a straight mile at the Town Moor track. Newtown Anner Stud's homebred, who registered a 10-length tally at Thirsk in her penultimate start, bounded along behind a steady tempo and raced third through the initial fractions. Taking closer order once past...

Karl Burke annexed the 2018 edition of Deauville's G3 Prix de Cabourg with Comedy (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and the Spigot Lodge conditioner doubled his tally in the six-furlong contest after last month's G2 Norfolk S. third Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) pounced for a decisive success in this year's renewal. The 6-4 joint-favourite, who had earlier powered to a runaway success in Sandown's Listed National S., was positioned behind the leader in second after a level break. Looming large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, he was...

Dalham Hall Stud resident Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when Karl Burke trainee Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Agnes Stewart {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}) made a winning debut going just under seven furlongs in Friday's Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Fillies' Novice S. at Haydock. Tracking the leaders in third for the most part, the 9-4 favourite was angled into a clear lane approaching the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly once launching her challenge entering the final furlong...

Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) notched a one-length tally in the 2017 renewal of Sandown's Listed Racehorse Lotto National S. and the second-crop sire left his mark on the contest once more after his Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned son Elite Status (GB) powered to a hugely impressive success in the five-furlong dash. The 5-2 favourite had opened his account with a three-length triumph in his May 6 debut over the same trip at Doncaster and jumped to the head of ante-post betting lists for Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk...

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's 3-year-old colt Cold Case (GB) (Showcasing {GB}--Killermont Street {Ire}, by Dream Ahead) closed his six-race juvenile campaign with victories in Doncaster's £300,000 Weatherbys 2-Year-Old S. and Redcar's Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy and came back off a 214-day break to register a game success in Wednesday's G3 British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial S. at Ascot. The 5-1 chance was in the squat position as the gates flew open and recovered to race on the front end after the initial strides. Scrubbed along when headed...

Nick Bradley Racing and Elaine Burke's Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}--White Rosa {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) had twice knocked on the door as a juvenile last year and delivered a first black-type triumph, tackling his third such contest, in Monday's G3 Prix Sigy at Chantilly. The Karl Burke trainee debuted with a six-furlong maiden win at Ayr in July, doubling up with an 8 1/2-length rout at Thirsk one month later, before running second in York's Aug. 19 G2 Gimcrack S. and a below-par fifth in Newmarket's Sept. 24 G1...

That Karl Burke collected in Thursday's G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York was a surprise to nobody, but the fact that it was with the 25-1 stable second-string Swingalong (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) as Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) finished out of the frame certainly was. On the pace from the outset racing up the centre under Clifford Lee, Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum's 120,000gns Book 2 graduate who had scored by six lengths on her third start over this six-furlong trip at Ripon at the start of the month was...

There were some choicely-bred fillies in Newmarket's opening British Stallion Studs EBF "Newcomers" Maiden Fillies' S. on Saturday, but one dominant member of the class in Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir--Starlite Sienna {Ire}, by Elusive Pimpernel). Sent off at 10-1, the Karl Burke-trained bay who was a bargain €52,000 purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up was at work first under Clifford Lee but responded to power her way to the front approaching the furlong pole. Devouring the rising ground to the line, the relative...

Springfield House Stud's Unfortunately (Ire) (by Society Rock {Ire}) became the latest first-season sire to get off the mark on Friday evening as Looking For Lynda (Ire) captured the opener at Nottingham. Sent off the 6-5 favourite for the five-furlong contest having finished runner-up at Ayr on debut Apr. 25, the Karl Burke-trained son of the Cheveley Park mare Designated (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) was professional from the outset under Clifford Lee and shook off those who chose to take him on in front to score by 3 1/4 lengths...