Burke buzzing as Unfortunately leads home dream one-two

Karl Burke has known some great days on his raids to France over the years but he might need to win an Arc to top the day he had the forecast in the Prix Morny, as Unfortunately and Tony Piccone cut down front-running stablemate Havana Grey for a famous one-two.

Previously successful in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte, Unfortunately became the first horse to follow up in the Morny since the Clive Cox-trained Reckless Abandon in 2012.

Most of the pre-race talk had been of the talented fillies who made up the majority of the eight-runner line-up, but Albany Stakes winner Different League finished best among them in third, with Zonta just behind and neither Nyaleti or Tantheem able to get involved.Burke said: "It's tremendous. I woke up this morning and couldn't believe the three colts were last in the betting. I was very tempted to do the forecast – but I thought that was tempting fate!

"Through the early part of the year the horses were working together and Havana Grey was the quickest, but you could always see Unfortunately was catching him towards the end of the gallop so, over this trip, it wasn't surprising to see him beat Havana Grey. They're two very good colts."

All smiles: delighted owner John Laughton leads in Unfortunately after his colt landed the Prix MornyCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Havana Grey, who was last seen winning the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, tried to make all under PJ McDonald over a new trip of six furlongs and, while it would be unfair to say he failed to stay, he had no answer to the powerful surge of his stablemate.

Burke said: "PJ said that, if he could ride the race again, he'd be a bit more confident and kick earlier, but we were minded to hang on to him a bit."

Piccone was winning a second Group 1 and was once again thankful for the support of British-based trainers, having made his breakthrough at the top level in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud aboard the Harry Dunlop-trained Robin Of Navan.

Unfortunately will now try to complete the same juvenile hat-trick as Reckless Abandon, with a trip to Newmarket next on the cards.

"Unfortunately will definitely go to the Middle Park," said Burke, who won the Prix Jean Romanet two years ago to the day on this card, and also counts a Prix Jean Prat among his French conquests.

"He probably won't go beyond six but he doesn't need to. Havana Grey stayed but has a lot of natural speed and so we'll have a chat with the owners. He isn't entered in the Abbaye and pitching him in against Lady Aurelia and those other horses wouldn't be fair to him at this stage."

Different League's owner Con Marnane was one of the first people to congratulate Burke, and connections were happy enough with third.

Trainer Matthieu Palussiere said: "There's nothing to reproach her for and she's run very well. The ground has got pretty fast and I think that was the principal factor for her.

"She was beaten by two colts and is still arguably the best filly in Europe. We'll aim her at the Cheveley Park Stakes."

If you are interested in this, you might also like:

Change of luck for Burke raider after surviving Papin inquiry