Karl Burke plans to have two runners at the valuable Saudi Cup meeting at the end of February. The Yorkshire trainer will aim to send his Chesham S. winner and Group 1-placed Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) as well as G2 Prix Chaudenay winner Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}).
Longer-term plans for Holloway Boy centre on the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, which will be his next target after the $1.5million Saudi Derby
Burke said, “It was always in my mind to give him a prep run before the 2,000 Guineas. If we go out to the Saudi Derby, it still gives us the guts of two months into the Guineas.
“Timewise, it's ideal and the prize-money is huge. As long as he's fit and well at the end of January, I would imagine that's where we'll go.”
He added, “He's a horse with a lot of ability. He showed that again in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster when he probably should have been second. The winner, Auguste Rodin, is obviously a very useful horse.”
On his charge's potential first start on dirt, the trainer said, “The jockeys reported the dirt track was very horse-friendly compared to some others. The kickback wasn't as severe, so it helped put it in our minds to give Holloway Boy a chance around there. I wouldn't be keen to run him on 'normal' dirt but, from what I saw myself and listening to the jockeys, it's a very kind surface in Saudi.”
Nick Bradley Racing's Al Qareem is being aimed at the G3 Red Sea Turf Handicap.
“He's come back in and he's cantering away steady at the moment,” Burke said. “We'll pick his work up now to Christmas and he'll work through January. That's the plan in our heads at the moment, but there is a lot of training to go into him over the next six weeks. When we get to the end of January, we'll make a firm decision. I'm very pleased with him at the moment.
“We'd hope he could develop into a Cup horse next season. He's shown a good level of form and he's only a three-year-old. He's only a baby really.”
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