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'There's more where this one came from' - Burke's juvenile peerage warning

Cold Case (far rail) beats Alpha Capture in the 2-y-o Weatherby's sales raceDoncaster 8.9.22 Pic: Edward Whitaker
Cold Case (far rail): Karl Burke's colt added another big prize to this one at DoncasterCredit: Edward Whitaker

Saturday: Redcar

Karl Burke plundered yet another two-year-old prize in a memorable season, then warned he had his sights on a Group 1 target and had two or three "really nice" ones still to run.

Cold Case became the trainer's fifth different juvenile to land a Group or Listed race in 2022 as he took the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy under Clifford Lee.

Sent off 11-8 favourite after his win in a sales race at Doncaster and third in the Gimcrack Stakes at York, the colt was pushed out to win by two and a quarter lengths.

"You're always worried because at this time of year favourites can get beaten, but he only had to reproduce what he did at Doncaster and at York," Burke said.

"He's got a great cruising speed and I've always loved this horse. He was the first yearling I bought for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and he's never let me down."

The winner is quoted at 16-1 for the Commonwealth Cup over this 6f trip by Paddy Power and his trainer said: "It will be interesting to see how far he gets next year.

"There's plenty of speed in the family. You wouldn't be surprised if he got seven furlongs, but whether he can get a mile I'm not sure."

Reflecting on his powerful juvenile string, Burke said: "We're lucky enough to hit on a really good team and there are two or three really nice horses to run. We've got a couple of nice ones in the Fillies' Mile next week in Novakai and Bright Diamond."

Burke was out of lucky in several big two-year-old races at Newmarket last week but said: "We hit a brick wall two or three weeks ago when the horses were coughing, and we're only just coming out of it in these last few days."

Gambler steps up in style

John Brown rose from being a tea boy at William Hill to chair the company and I'm A Gambler, the latest star to carry his colours, looks just as progressive.

His three-year-old, the winner of no fewer than eight handicaps over the last 14 months, made a triumphant step up to Listed company in the Guisborough Stakes.

I'm A Gambler: the eight-time-winning handicapper made a successful step up to Listed class
I'm A Gambler: the eight-time-winning handicapper made a successful step up to Listed classCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He won by a length under Franny Norton to give the Mark and Charlie Johnston yard its third win in the 7f contest in the last eight years, taking his earnings to nearly £220,000.

The gelding, bought for £47,000 as a yearling, could try to add even more to the kitty by making another step up in class for the £120,000 Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

"He's gone up 25lb in the handicap this year," Brown said. "Every time he runs he just finds that bit more. We don't know why, except that he's a very big horse and he's probably still just coming along.

"He's entered in a Group 2 at Newmarket on Friday and I should think he could run there. I don't see why not."

Brown also has dual-winning two-year-old Dornoch Castle with the Johnstons, who trained his Middle Park Stakes winner The Last Lion, and said: "He's very nice but he went a bit wrong and got beaten a couple of times, but we think he'll be all right for next year."

The owner, who turned 80 last week, left William Hill in 2003 and said: "I've been retired longer than I was at school and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself!"

'She loves a battle'

Hayley Turner returned to cheers after Belhaven got the better of David Nolan's mount Pisanello by a neck in the Straight-Mile final.

"She loves a battle," she said of the winner. "David Nolan's horse came to win the race and it certainly helped me a bit."

Results, replays and analysis


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David CarrReporter

Published on 1 October 2022inReports

Last updated 19:16, 1 October 2022

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