QEII Next for Laurens, BC Still Possible

[Wandering Eyes]

Karl Burke has confirmed the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot on Oct. 20 as the likely next target for his star filly Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). The daughter of Siyouni claimed her fourth Group 1 success of the season, and her fifth top-level victory overall, when landing the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket on Saturday. Laurens holds an entry in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. on Oct. 20, but Burke is leaning towards keeping her to a mile in the QEII–for which she needs to be supplemented.

“We’re delighted with her,” said the North Yorkshire-based trainer. “She only lost four kilos on the whole trip and she looks in great shape. I’ve spoken to John [Dance, owner], and at the moment we’re leaning towards Ascot. She’s in the Champion S.–but it’s more likely we’ll supplement for the QEII, especially if the ground is on the easy side.”

Although Champions Day has emerged as the likely next port of call for Laurens, Burke is not ruling out the possibility of sending his filly across the Atlantic for next month’s Breeders’ Cup.

He added, “It’s definitely not impossible she could do both. Nothing is set in stone, but we’ll aim for Ascot and take it from there. If by the time Ascot comes around we felt she needed a bit more time, we could always wait and go straight to the Breeders’ Cup, but we’ll see. She has the option of the Mile [at the Breeders’ Cup] and the one-mile-three-furlong race for fillies only [Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf].”

One Burke inmate who is bound for the Breeders’ Cup is his Group 1-winning sprinter Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}). The G1 Flying Five hero was not beaten far into eighth place in Sunday’s G1 Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp and is set for one final career outing at Churchill Downs before being retired to stud.

Burke said, “He has come out of the race fine, and all being well he’ll go for the race over five and a half furlongs [Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint]. That will probably be his finale.”

View the full article