Tom Eaves hopes to land one of the few top sprints to have eluded him on Sprint Cup Stakes (G1) favorite Inisherin at Haydock Park Racecourse Sept. 7.
It was only by half a hair's breadth that he held on for a record-extending fourth Beverley Bullet Aug. 31 but he has a habit of coming home in front in tests of speed.
Eaves has won two Prix de l'Abbayes (G1), a Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1), a Flying Five Stakes (G1), and a Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) in the last 13 years.
He added a new group 1 to his collection by taking the Commonwealth Cup (G1) on Inisherin at Royal Ascot—only his second winner at the meeting, 16 years after his first.
Now he is aiming to land a first Sprint Cup, as James Doyle and then Andrea Atzeni were on board when his boss Kevin Ryan struck with Hello Youmzain in 2019 and Emaraaty Ana two years later.
Inisherin, whom Eaves called "a machine" after that Commonwealth triumph, needs to bounce back from finishing fifth in the July Cup Stakes (G1).
Eaves said: "Newmarket wasn't his track and we're just putting a line through that.
"I rode him in his work last Saturday and he's in great form. It's a group 1 so it's competitive but we're looking forward to it. I've never won this and it would be brilliant if I could do it."
Burke Takes Aim With Talented Trio
Everyone thought 2023 was the season of Karl Burke's career—two group 1 wins and £3.13 million in British prize money alone made it memorable.
Except that he could be poised to match that tally of top-level victories and smash that haul of earnings Saturday, with almost four months of the year to go.
The man who won the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) in the spring with Fallen Angel has long thought Elite Status could make it in this grade if he shrugged off a minor niggle.
And his sprinter has looked the part in two outings at Newbury this term, bounding home in listed company in May then returning to see off group 3 rivals in good style in July.
Burke has trained him for this race ever since and said: "We think he's very good. It looks a competitive race and we'll find out how good he is.
"He broke the track record first time at Newbury, when he needed the run a little bit, and the second time he broke his own record. That proves he's high class. He deserves a crack at a group 1."
Burke also runs Swingalong, who was caught in the last half-furlong when a close second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) and July Cup.
"She's tough and she's in great shape," he said. "It's such a shame she hasn't won a group 1 and this is as hard as the other ones she's competed in but she's sure to run her race."
Burke pulled Spycatcher out on the day last year and said: "The drying ground would be against him but as long as there's soft in the description he's a definite runner. He's in fantastic form."
Each of the trio has a high draw and the trainer said: "If there is a bias I hope it's to the high numbers, it usually is on that track."
