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Little Kim wins big for Burke and Curtis in Deauville speed test

Little Kim and Ben Curtis (white cap, black star) backed up success at Carlisle with a Group 3 win in Tuesday's Prix du Bois at Deauville.
Little Kim and Ben Curtis (white cap, black star) backed up success at Carlisle with a Group 3 win in Tuesday's Prix du Bois at Deauville.Credit: Grossick Racing Photography 0771

Karl Burke’s great run of success in France continued on Tuesday as Ben Curtis guided Little Kim down the centre of the Deauville track to get the better of the Wesley Ward-trained Chelsea Cloisters in the Group 3 Prix du Bois.

With Shumookhi, trained by Archie Watson, a short head away in third, it was a 1-2-3 for the visitors, all of whom finished behind Signora Cabello in the Queen Mary at Ascot last month.

Little Kim was only beaten two lengths in eighth on that occasion but Burke enjoyed a few nervous moments before the start here as the starter issued a final warning before the stalls handlers finally managed to coax her into her berth in box eight.

"I’m not surprised because she ran well at Ascot," said Burke. "She's a fast filly with a bit of character, as you saw there behind the stalls. Her family all have a bit of that streak in them."

Little Kim became a first Pattern winner for her sire Garswood – who enjoyed his finest day when landing the Prix Maurice de Gheest here in 2014 – and Burke could go in search of more success in France over half a furlong further at Maisons-Laffitte later this month.

"The trip suited her but I think she’d get a bit further," said Burke.

"I'm delighted that she has got some black type, it’s important for a filly like her. I need to talk again with the owners but we'll look at putting her in the Prix Robert Papin."

Result and analysis


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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 3 July 2018inInternational

Last updated 16:38, 3 July 2018

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