Classic dream: Burke aiming to go straight to Guineas with 'high-class' Laurens

The long nights, short days and seemingly interminable supply of snow has made for a tough winter, but with springtime officially ushered in on Tuesday Flat yards are emerging from hibernation.

Classic dreams can begin to bloom with the turf season starting this weekend and Karl Burke has a filly to put a spring in his step in the shape of the extremely promising Laurens.

Winner of three of her four starts at two, Laurens signed off with a nose defeat of September in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. She is a best-priced 25-1 chance with bet365 in a Qipco 1,000 Guineas ante-post market dominated by September's trainer Aidan O'Brien.

The work involved in running a yard has meant Burke has not had a chance to count down the days until he can get to grips with a potential Classic heroine, but he is now starting to look to the future.

"We've been too busy trying to keep the show on the road in the winter to get carried away," he said on Wednesday. "It's only now in the last couple of weeks I've rung John [Dance, owner] and said that Laurens is starting to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on end watching her, and starting to think what we might have on our hands. She's a very impressive animal."

If showing the right signs in her work, the Guineas will be the first target of the year for Laurens, and, while she will not take in a trial, she could be one of the stars on show at the Craven meeting.

"She's starting to really switch on now and has been looking very impressive in her work, although it's nothing serious yet," Burke continued.

"The plan is to have a go at the Guineas, then the French Oaks. If her work isn't as we expect it to be we could go Musidora, then the French Oaks. If we look like going to the Guineas we'll probably give her a day out and racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting."

A return to France towards the end of the season could also be an option, with Dance having suggested the Arc may not end up being a straight shootout between Cracksman and last year's winner Enable.

Burke said: "The Arc [entries] will be closing soon and John mentioned it to me half-jokingly before Christmas so we'll have to have that conversation.

"She's a very high-class filly and she's strengthened really well. Whether a mile and a half comes into it we'll know along the way. We're only thinking up to the Prix de Diane at the moment."

Burke also has Ellthea, fifth behind her stablemate in the Fillies' Mile, in the race and added: "She's a high-class animal and ran very well in the Fillies' Mile.

"She looks to be at her best on soft ground and will probably go to Ireland for one of their seven-furlong trials. We'll take it from there."

Osborne thinks Life could be Lush

Jamie Osborne has not had a Guineas candidate in his care for a while, but in Lush Life the trainer thinks he has a smart filly in the making.

A winner on debut at Kempton last November, the daughter of Mastercraftsman could be trialled away from the bright lights before a possible trip to Newmarket.

"I shouldn't imagine I've entered a horse in a Guineas since Milk It Mick," said Osborne. "I think she's pretty smart and at entries stage I felt we ought to keep the option open.

"She's gone the right way through the winter. What's important for her now is to have a bit of experience on the grass, and she might appear in a novice race at the beginning of April. We'd take it from there."

Two chances for Ed Vaughan

Like Lush Life, Dancing Brave Bear was an all-weather debut winner in the winter, and her sights could now be raised by Ed Vaughan.

The Newmarket trainer also has Hikmaa as a 1,000 Guineas candidate, and said: "Seven furlongs looks to be Hikmaa's best trip; we'll enter her in the Nell Gwyn and Fred Darling. She's in the French Guineas as well but if she shows up well in a trial we might roll the dice.

"Dancing Brave Bear has got a lot of potential. She's entitled to improve a lot and should improve through the year. Given how well she went on the surface at Lingfield and that a straight mile should suit, she'll be entered in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on Good Friday."

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