Darnation (Ire)

The flooded fields that line the approach to Spigot Lodge might suggest differently, but spring has finally arrived in Middleham and that can only mean one thing in these parts. On Good Friday, as tradition dictates, a handful of the town's racing stables will invite the public in for a look behind the scenes as part of the annual Middleham Open Day, organised by Racing Welfare. Spigot Lodge promises to be the first port of call for many visitors, with trainer Karl Burke expecting to welcome between 200-300 people during...

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...

Fresh from celebrating a Group 1 success with one of his 2-year-old fillies on Sunday, Karl Burke is looking to continue that run in Doncaster's G2 May Hill S. on Thursday with the standard-setting Darnation (Ire) by the Moyglare heroine Fallen Angel's sire Too Darn Hot (GB). Following up a 10-length novice win at Thirsk in July with success in the G3 Prestige S. at Goodwood last month, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred is up to a mile but her trainer has no concerns on that score. "The trip, the...

Newtown Anner Stud's homebred Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) improved off a debut third at Haydock to post an impressive 10-length tally over the same seven-furlong distance at Thirsk last month and made a smooth transition upped to pattern-race level with a game tally in Saturday's G3 William Hill Prestige Fillies' S. at Goodwood. Positioned in a stalking second after a smart getaway, the 5-2 favourite fanned wide with the field off the home turn and kept on relentlessly under a drive inside the...

Saturday's European black-type count stands at a baker's dozen, with eight group races in Britain and Ireland alone featuring several movers and shakers towards the elite level kicking off with Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in York's G3 Strensall S. and culminating five hours later with the fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) in the G3 Weatherbys Global Stallions Winter Hill S. at Windsor. Nostrum was surprisingly beaten by fellow TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in Goodwood's G3 Thoroughbred S. last time, but is...