'She certainly wasn't stopping' - Karl Burke keeping faith with star three-year-olds despite Guineas disappointments

Karl Burke has plenty of faith in his flagship three-year-olds and is planning a renewed Classic assault with beaten 1,000 Guineas fillies Fallen Angel and Darnation.

He is set to wait for Royal Ascot with Night Raider, who lost his unbeaten record in the 2,000 Guineas but is reckoned to be "still a very good horse". 

Burke went to Newmarket with high hopes last weekend and Moyglare Stud winner Fallen Angel started favourite for the 1,000 Guineas only to finish eighth behind Elmalka, six places in front of stablemate Darnation.

"Fallen Angel didn't run a bad race, but I'd had big expectations," the trainer said. "She looked fantastic, she was fit and hardly blew afterwards. She just wasn't quite good enough on the day.

"The ground drying out on that track probably didn't quite suit her, but that's looking for excuses and probably made the difference of a couple of lengths rather than anything more than that.

Fallen Angel (grey silks, centre) couldn't get involved in the finish to the 1,000 GuineasCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"She's a Group 1 winner and I'm sure she'll be very competitive in those races again later on in the season."

The Irish 1,000 Guineas and French Oaks are options for Fallen Angel, who races in the colours of Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics. 

Burke said: "I need to discuss it with the owners, but if the ground were soft there's a possibility she could go to Ireland or we could wait and step her up in trip for the Prix de Diane.

"She certainly wasn't stopping at the end of the Guineas, she was just one pace from three down."

Darnation, who won last year's May Hill Stakes on soft ground at Doncaster, was having her first run of the season, and her trainer said: "The ground didn't help her and she'll definitely come on a lot for the run.

"She'll go to Ireland if the ground is soft, but if not she's in the German Guineas at the end of the month and it nearly always comes up soft there."

Night Raider: disappointed in the 2,000 GuineasCredit: john grossick

Night Raider had won both his starts in 7f novice events at Southwell, but finished only tenth on his step up in class and distance at Newmarket. 

"He got very worked up in the stalls and it wasn't to be for him," Burke said. "We'll probably come back in trip and aim him at the Jersey Stakes now. I'd imagine he'll go straight there.

"He's still a big, raw horse and he's got a lot of maturing to do physically as well as mentally. We'll give him plenty of time, he's still a very good horse."

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