Karl Burke still favouring French raid with 1000 Guineas runner-up Laurens
Northern trainer Burke saw his Group 1-winning filly Laurens run an excellent race to finish second in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and is now targeting a trip to France, rather than Ireland, with his talented three-year-old.
KARL BURKE expects Laurens to run in the Prix de Diane next after her fine effort in defeat in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.
Burke's three-year-old filly was making her first appearance since winning the Group 1 Fillies' Mile on the Rowley Mile last October and looked the winner of the first fillies' Classic of the season for a long way.
She was eventually caught by Richard Hannon's surprise winner Billesdon Brook before keeping on to finish second and, whilst the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh remains an option, Burke is favouring a trip across the Channel for the French Oaks on June 17.
"She came back absolutely fine, there are no issues at all and everything is A1," said the North Yorkshire-based trainer.
"I would think we're going to wait for the French Oaks. She is still in the Irish Guineas, but after watching the replay of her run at Newmarket it looks like she's crying out for the step up in trip.
"We'll probably leave her in the Irish Guineas until the death, just in case it cuts up and the ground turns in her favour, but it's more likely we'll wait for the Prix de Diane."
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Burke was proud of his star filly's valiant effort, if a little disappointed to have been beaten by a 66-1 outsider.
He added: "We went there very hopeful without being over-confident. We knew we had a very good filly and she proved it on the day.
"Billesdon Brook wasn't one we were particularly worried about, to be honest, but I don't think there was any fluke about her performance. She quickened up well and won well on the day.
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"If the race had been run a day earlier or certainly two days earlier on good to soft ground it might have been a different result, but it is what it is and we're delighted with our filly.
"Hopefully we'll have an exciting year with her."