Ellthea strengthens Burke's hand for Newmarket Group 1

Karl Burke's excellent season with his two-year-olds has a great chance of getting even better after Ellthea's owners, Mark and Aisling Gittins, stumped up the £40,000 supplementary fee for Friday's bet365 Fillies' Mile.

The Kodiac filly was rerouted from a Listed race at Ayr's ill-fated western meeting to run in Ireland a couple of weekends ago and won the Group 3 Park Stakes under Colm O'Donoghue by just under three lengths.

Burke said on Saturday: "The owners are very sporting – they wanted to have a crack at a Group 1 after Ireland, which was a very good performance.

"We were meant to go to Maisons-Laffitte for a Group 2 against colts, but she worked well yesterday and looks in great order so it was decided to give it a go."

Laurens: fending off NyaletiCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Burke also trains another strong contender for the race with May Hill Stakes winner Laurens and added: "Obviously we go there with two very good chances. I can't second-guess what Aidan [O'Brien] is going to do with his horses – he's keeping all his options open – and all I can do is get my two there in top form."

Burke doesn't just have Ballydoyle to worry about as Godolphin's impeccably bred, wide-margin Newmarket maiden winner Magic Lily was also supplemented.

She is out of Oaks winner Dancing Rain and stretched eight lengths clear of her rivals on the Rowley Mile on her debut, the day before Ellthea won in Ireland.

Magic Lily was installed at 5-1 with Paddy Power and Betfair, Laurens at 6-1 and Ellthea at 16-1. The market is headed by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Happily at 9-4.