TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter - Karl Burke

Words - Lissa Oliver

Karl Burke took out his licence in 1991 and trains from the historic Spigot Lodge in Middleham, Yorkshire, from where the famous Derby winner The Flying Dutchman was sent out in 1849. With a team that includes wife Elaine and daughters Kelly and Lucy, the Classic winning tradition continued under Burke when Laurens landed the 2018 Prix De Diane.

His first Royal Ascot winner came with the filly Quiet Reflection in the 2016 Gr. 1 Commonwealth Cup, but it’s safe to say the 2022 meeting has been just as memorable—Burke saddling two winners, one of whom, quite remarkably, was winning on debut. 

The last horse to win on debut at Royal Ascot was Dazzle in 1996. Just to put the first time out Listed Chesham Stakes victory of Holloway Boy in context, Derby winner Masar came into the 2017 race with a win already to his name, only to finish third.

“We would have been delighted if he’d finished fifth or sixth,” Burke admits. “While his win was a nice surprise, it was not a shock, as we’ve always thought he’s a very nice type.”

Holloway Boy is owned by Nick White and Burke’s wife Elaine. “We bought him out of the Cheveley Park consignment at Tattersalls Book 2 for £60,000. I trained his full-sister Oppressive for Cheveley Park and thought a lot of her, but unfortunately she injured a tendon and retired before achieving her potential.

“When I saw him, I thought he was a better stamp of a horse than Oppressive; and I bought him on spec’. He was not one of the first to sell; he was never going to be an early one. Then Nick White rang me and said he would like to buy a horse. So we showed him a couple of the yearlings, and he bought a half-share in Holloway Boy,” Burke explains.

“Holloway Boy was always a good size and strong. I like to get them through their early education up to Christmas, then we start the early ones in February; but he was never going to be one of those. He got very strong during the spring and came to hand very nicely and was ready to run a couple of weeks before Ascot. 

“We were going to go to Musselburgh for his first race, but he tweaked a muscle. Nick White wanted an Ascot runner, and I looked at the Chesham Stakes, half-heartedly thinking we’d run Holloway Boy. After he worked well, I thought we'd let him take his chance in the race and give the owners a nice day out.”

It proved to be a very nice day out, with many more still to come. “We’ve had a lot of interest in him, but we’re not going to sell him,” Burke says. “He did his first canter this morning since Saturday (the Thursday after the meeting) and has taken the race really well. The Superlative Stakes at Newmarket will be his first option, but if we feel that’s a bit too soon for him, then it will be the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. 

“He looks all over a three-year-old already; he’s a good 500kg and stands over 16.1. There’s a little bit of speed in the pedigree, and the Two Thousand Guineas will be the target.”

Burke acknowledges he has a great team at Spigot Lodge—a young team with a nucleus of staff who has been with him since he began. They will certainly have plenty to dream of over the winter, as the One Thousand Guineas looks just as likely a target for unbeaten Dramatised, the filly Burke sent out to win the Gr. 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“We’re very lucky to have a good team of two-year-olds; we have at least half a dozen good two-year-olds still to run. Dramatised should improve on her run and will go for the Prix Morny, and then she’ll have one more run in the Cheveley Park Stakes. 

“She is a great feather in her owner Steve Parkin’s cap. She is one of the first homebreds from his Branton Court Stud, so it was a huge result for him.”

Burke now has 130 boxes at Spigot Lodge, situated perfectly between Middleham’s High and Low Moor gallops. “We have several post and rail grass paddocks for turnout during the summer and an all-year-round turnout pit. We have recently developed the centre of our 300m indoor ride, adding a new lunge pen and an Aqua Equine Treadmill. 

“The Aqua Equine Treadmill is already making a great addition to our facilities, building the power and performance of our horses. The treadmill will also prove very useful when bringing horses back into work after holidays or injury.”