By Emma Berry
NEWMARKET, UK — The action on the Rowley Mile on Wednesday wasn't restricted to the seven scheduled races on the card, with a host of potential Classic runners taking part in racecourse gallops just before the first race of the day.
The headline act was the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), who is currently co-favourite for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas on May 5. She was put through her paces by Danny Tudhope.
“I was very happy with her and Danny was delighted,” said Burke of Steve Parkin's homebred G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner who galloped shortly after the same owner's Night Raider (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The unbeaten colt is being aimed at the 2,000 Guineas.
“We've got two and a half weeks and she has time for at least one more good piece of work at home. This was always the plan and she needed the gallop for fitness, whereas Night Raider, we brought him here for experience.
“After watching that and what we saw last year, I think [Fallen Angel] has a good chance of staying at least a mile and a quarter. She is in the Oaks but we don't need to worry about that just yet and we will concentrate on the Guineas for now.
“She's a filly who saves her best for when she is really asked and, as you saw in the Moyglare last year, she looked beaten and then was doing her best work crossing the line. I think that will be the same in the Guineas.”
Burke added of Night Raider, who worked well alongside stable-mate and Group 2-winning miler Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), “The colt is a very good horse, but inexperience could count against him. He's a lovely horse going forward and physically and mentally he will improve through the year.
“He will have learned loads today and that was his first proper gallop on grass.”
Burke noted that Flight Plan, who is also owned by Parkin's Clipper Logistics, will run in next week's G3 Bet365 Mile at Sandown ahead of a possible tilt at the G1 Lockinge S.
Alyanaabi (Ire), trained by Owen Burrows for Shadwell, also undertook a racecourse gallop ahead of his potential appearance in the 2,000 Guineas. Another from the first crop of Too Darn Hot, he was second to 2,000 Guineas favourite City Of Troy (Justify) in the G1 Dewhurst S. last October.
“Jim [Crowley, jockey] said he settled well, which was good because he can be a little keen at home,” Burrows said. “Mentally, it will do him the world of good and hopefully he can step forward from it in two and a half weeks.
“Originally, I didn't think I needed to bring him up here, but we were quite keen to get him on some nice ground and there's not a lot of that around at the moment.
“Physically, he has done well and we have a bit to find [with City Of Troy], so we will just have to see.”
Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), winner of the G2 Champagne S. for Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud, was another in action before racing and, ridden by Tom Marquand, he forged clear of his workmate smartly out of the dip in an easy gallop.
“His work on fast ground is completely different to that on soft at home and he never really had the chance to show his full potential last year,” said Iberian's trainer Charlie Hills.
“Every time he ran, it was soft ground, and at Goodwood in his second race, he probably should have won. The Champagne was soft as well and he's gone and beaten two Group 1 winners in that.”
He added, “The way he is bred, he should certainly get the mile but you just have to be careful with who he works with in the morning, as he just destroys them in two or three strides, he has so much natural speed.
“He just cantered the first furlong and I just wanted Tom to get a nice rhythm into him, he could be pretty special.”
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