Lowther winner Royal Fixation to join Karl Burke after being bought by fast-growing superpower

Lowther Stakes winner Royal Fixation is set to join trainer Karl Burke after she was purchased privately by Yulong Investments.

Trained this year by Ed Walker for Opulence Thoroughbreds, Royal Fixation was also successful on her debut and was placed in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Confirming the purchase, Burke said on Wednesday: “Yulong have bought her and she’s a fantastic filly to be joining the team. She’s not with us yet but I understand she’ll be coming up in the next few weeks. 

“We have a huge team of very nice horses here for next year and she’s now one of them, so you can only be looking forward to it.”

Royal Fixation becomes the latest big-name recruit for Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments and adds to the strength in depth of Burke, who landed four Group 1s in 2025 and has sent out a personal best of 131 winners on the Flat in Britain.

• Top bloodstock operation to continue British expansion with plans to construct 300-acre breeding facility near Newmarket 

Who else has Burke got to be excited about in 2026? 

Aylin: a 25-1 shot for the Betfred Oaks in 2026Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Aylin
Owner: Al Shaqab & Amo Racing
2025 form: 21315

Landed the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster before finishing fifth in the Prix Marcel Boussac. She is related to two winners over five furlongs, but indications have been that she could go for the Betfred Oaks, for which she is 25-1.

Convergent (left): narrowly beaten in the German Derby

Convergent
Owner: Newtown Anner Stud Farm
2025 form: 132117

Narrowly beaten in the Deutsches Derby, Convergent went on to win a Group 3 at Leopardstown and a Group 2 at Longchamp. 

He blew out as odds-on favourite on his final start in a Group 1 but remains lightly raced and his sire, Fascinating Rock, had his finest moment as a four-year-old in the Champion Stakes.

Fallen Angel: Group 1 winner at two, three and fourCredit: Steve Davies (www.racingmediapics.co.uk)

Fallen Angel
Owner: Wathnan Racing
2025 form: 631110

A Group 1 winner at two, three and four after a tour de force in the late summer and autumn when she landed Group 1s at Deauville, Leopardstown and Newmarket.

She is set to return as a five-year-old when she will attempt to burnish her already impressive CV.

Venetian Sun: 12-1 for next year's Betfred 1,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Venetian Sun
Owner: Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy
2025 form: 11113

Winner of the Albany Stakes, Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and the Prix Morny against the colts before finishing third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on her final run.

Burke has never sought to downplay his admiration for the filly, labelling her “special” on multiple occasions. She is a general 12-1 for next year’s Betfred 1,000 Guineas.

Zeus Olympios (right): being targeted at next year's Lockinge StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Zeus Olympios
Owner: Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum
2025 form: 1111

Unraced at two, Zeus Olympios ran four times in 2025 and won all four races – the last being an impressive two-and-a-quarter-length win from Opera Ballo in the Group 2 Joel Stakes.

Burke said he was likely to target the Lockinge Stakes as a starting point in 2026, describing him as a horse with “a big turn of foot”.

Read these next:

James McDonald named the Longines World's Best Jockey for third time after stunning year 

NTF cites 'lenient' £500 penalty issued to Thirsk clerk for inaccurate GoingStick reading as example of two-tier BHA regulation 

Newbury becomes second racecourse this week to announce planned prize-money increase for 2026 

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