'She's tough and she stays well' - impressive Goodwood Group 3 winner Darnation set for Doncaster's May Hill Stakes

Karl Burke is looking forward to an end to the heatwave next week as he seeks to land another win in the race that put his top-class filly Laurens on the map.

He is hoping for rain at Doncaster, where he aims to step impressive Goodwood winner Darnation up in class in Thursday's Group 2 Betfred May Hill Stakes (3.00).

Laurens gained her first Pattern race success in this mile contest in 2016 and went on to win six times in Group 1 company, earning over £1.7 million.

Laurens (left) won the May Hill for Karl Burke in 2017Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Darnation won the Group 3 Prestige Stakes by two lengths going away over seven furlongs on soft ground at Goodwood and her trainer, who also had Novakai finish second in this race last year, said: "I could do with a bit of rain for her but the May Hill is the plan as long as the ground is good or slower.

"I think the soft ground helps her but she's tough and she stays well. She should improve for stepping up to the mile.

"I don't think she's another Laurens but she's a nice filly in her own right."

The ground was described officially as good, good to firm in places at Doncaster on Friday and clerk of the course Paul Barker said: "We've only had 4mm of rain since August 13. We've been watering on and off for about ten days to promote a bit of grass growth and we've ramped it up in the last week as the warmer weather has come in.

"Tomorrow will probably be the warmest day of this period and we could see 28C or 29C, then on Sunday there is the chance of some thundery showers. It is down to 17C-19C from Tuesday, with showers about.

"We'll continue to monitor conditions and if we have to water during the meeting we'll do it overnight."  

Irish St Leger Trial winner Shamida and Sumo Sam, who ran away with the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood, are among 18 entries for the Betfred Park Hill Fillies' Stakes on Thursday (3.35), which is the new first day of the St Leger meeting.

Sumo Sam was a wide-margin winner of the Lillie Langtry StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Reports have suggested ticket sales have been slow for the four-day fixture's final day but Doncaster executive director Rachel Harwood said: "Historically, when we do family fun days on a Sunday we sell 95 per cent of our tickets in the last two weeks. 

"We've never had racing scheduled for the Sunday at the Leger meeting so it's hard to tell but we hope to get the gate we've always had on the Wednesday, which is around 5,000, and I think we'll do that. I'm pretty bullish we'll have a similar crowd."

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