Elite Status (GB) is an intended runner in Saturday's Hackwood Stakes at Newbury, trainer Karl Burke confirmed on Monday as his classy three-year-old featured among 13 entries for the six-furlong contest.
A Group 3 winner as a juvenile, Elite Status has been on the sidelines since making the perfect start to his three-year-old campaign with victory in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at the Berkshire track, with a persisent issue with a joint forcing him to miss the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
However, Burke reports the son of Havana Grey (GB) to be back in top condition ahead of his intended return to action in Saturday's Group 3, which could also feature a proven top-level performer in Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire})–the winner of last year's Sprint Cup at Haydock– and Commonwealth Cup runner-up Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never).
“He hopefully will end up in the Hackwood and I am glad we did decide to swerve Newmarket and the July Cup because I don't think the soft, loose ground would have suited him,” said Burke.
“Inisherin was going for that anyway [for the same owner], so we said we would just take our time with Elite Status and go for the Hackwood, which is on a track he obviously performed very well at earlier in the year.
“Hopefully he goes there and performs and then can step up and go to Haydock for the Group 1 [Sprint Cup].”
Burke also issued a positive bulletin on one of his two Royal Ascot winners in the two-year-old Leovanni (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), who maintained her unbeaten record with a decisive victory in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes.
Owned by Wathnan Racing, Leovanni is now being prepared for a tilt at the G2 Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday, August 22, having been given an easy time of things since following up her Nottingham debut success at Ascot.
“Leovanni has done particularly well and has had a nice, easy time since Ascot,” Burke summed up. “The idea has been to go straight to the Lowther and we have plenty of time between Ascot and York.
“I couldn't be happier with her physically and I think she has strengthened and grown a little bit since Ascot. She is only starting to work back again now, but she does things very well.
“We have had to get on with her because she was getting very fresh in herself and I've got two very good lads who ride her who say she is the best horse they have ridden, so we're very happy with her.”
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