Burke upbeat about 66/1 Guineas hope Lord Of The Lodge

Stable legend Laurens may have been retired but trainer Karl Burke is hoping Lord Of The Lodge can be the next headline-maker in his Spigot Lodge stable and he could be on for a crack at the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Lord Of The Lodge was a top-notch two-year-old in 2019, kicking off with a maiden win at Ayr and concluding his juvenile season by chasing home the smart Threat in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August.

The son of Dandy Man was one of a small group of Flat stars to make an appearance in 2020 before the Covid-19 enforced shutdown, winning a six-furlong contest on the all-weather at Newcastle in February, and Burke thinks there is more to come from him.

“He could go for the 2000 Guineas”

Burke said: “Lord Of The Lodge has trained well all winter and was only 80 per cent fit when he won at Newcastle, if that. We’re very excited about him and he could go for the 2,000 Guineas or wait for the Jersey Stakes, or possibly run in both.

“Not many Dandy Mans get a mile but there’s a lot of stamina on his dam’s side and I think he’s got a good chance of staying the trip. He’s a very good horse and working like one.”

Lord Of The Lodge is generally a 50-1 shot with bookmakers for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas on Saturday week, June 6, but can be backed at 66-1 with a few firms.

Past glories

Burke also issued an upbeat bulletin on last year’s Lowther Stakes winner, Living In The Past, saying: “She came back late as she was given an extra month after her trip to the Breeders’ Cup and has taken a while to come to herself.

“She looks good now and will probably go for the Cecil Frail at Haydock on June 7 – she has to take on older horses but has no penalty for her Group 2 win. She’ll keep improving through the year and is a filly for 6f, rather than 7f or a mile.”

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