Marshman throws down major Commonwealth Cup marker for excited Karl Burke

There are worse times for a major Flat yard to turn the corner than the start of Craven week and Karl Burke expressed his relief and delight in equal measure after Marshman dominated the Group 3 Prix Sigy at Chantilly.

"We've always thought of him as a very good horse and his ratings tell you he is but, although ours have been running okay the last couple of weeks, we had a very disappointing end of February and March and it was a little bit frustrating," said Burke. "He was one of our first big guns to run so for himself to go and do it like that is great.

"He'll definitely come on for the run and he's having a good, healthy blow now, so it's very exciting and it sets him up nicely. He definitely got tired a furlong out, but he had the class to do it."

Marshman looked briefly unbalanced exiting the stalls but Clifford Lee soon had him balanced, and it was only once the race was won that the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Wodao came out of the chasing pack, closing to a length and a quarter at the line.

Karl Burke: favours the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock next for MarshmanCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Burke won the Sigy in 2016 with Quiet Reflection on the way to her Commonwealth Cup triumph, and Coral went 12-1 (from 20) about Marshman for the Group 1 sprint at Royal Ascot, while Paddy Power were more impressed, cutting the son of Harry Angel to 9-1 (from 16).

"He has an entry in the Duke of York against the older horses, but my favoured route would be the Sandy Lane at Haydock and then the Commonwealth Cup," said Burke. "Quiet Reflection had a fantastic turn of foot on soft ground and other horses couldn't lay up with her. 

"This horse probably has a bit more natural ability; he has a high cruising speed and is not ground-reliant. I walked the track a couple of times with Cliff this morning and I was happy to see it wasn't as testing as I expected. Last season he suffered with sore shins and still went on good, quick ground. He'll handle it this year no problem."

Commonwealth Cup (June 23, Ascot)

Coral: 6 Little Big Bear, Sakheer, 8 Noble Style, 10 Mischief Magic, 12 Bradsell, Marshman, 16 bar

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