Burke: Fallen Angel ready to take on the boys in QEII

Karl Burke feels Fallen Angel has “nothing to lose and everything to gain” when she attempts to extend her winning streak against the likes of Field Of Gold and Rosallion in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

A bumper field of 16 has assembled for the final Group One of the European season over a mile and the Wathnan-owned filly arrives at Qipco British Champions Day at the peak of her powers having made it three straight Group One triumphs in the Sun Chariot Stakes earlier this month.

Burke told Sky Sports Racing: “Her last three performances have been exceptional really and I haven’t seen a lot of her over the last 10 days or so as I’ve been at the sales, but she looked in great shape when I saw her this morning.

“You would have to say her last run in the Sun Chariot was very good, really exciting and she drew away from a good field. I know Andrew Balding thinks a lot of the second (Blue Bolt) and the third (Cinderella’s Dream) was a dual Group One winner herself, so that I think that was the best visually of her three wins, even though all three were very good.

“First time out she needed the run and she always runs herself into fitness and form, so it was a good run in the Lockinge really, with Rosallion was just in front of her. She improved fitness wise for Ascot and she was in great shape and good form but the ground was just too quick for her.”

Although conditions were deemed too quick for Fallen Angel when she appeared at the Royal meeting, Burke has no concerns this time around ahead of a race that will see John and Thady Gosden’s Field Of Gold make his eagerly-awaited return having not been seen since finishing lame in the Sussex Stakes.

Like Fallen Angel, Andrew Balding’s City of York Stakes hero Never So Brave is another with a winning streak to protect, with the Kingsclere handler also saddling Park Stakes winner Marvelman, who will wear the colours of new owners Bond Thoroughbred Limited for the first time.

Harry Eustace’s Queen Anne Stakes scorer Docklands will once again be an ever-present in the top races over the straight mile at this venue, but despite the stacked line-up, Burke is confident Fallen Angel can do herself justice once again.

He added: “Good ground will be fine on Saturday, good to soft is probably the perfect ground for her but I have no qualms running on genuinely good ground.

“Not many horses win three Group Ones on the bounce and she looks great, she’s still got dapples in her coat and still got a bit of a summer coat on her and I think we go there with nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Burke will also hold claims in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup where his recent course winner Al Qareem will challenge Gold Cup hero Trawlerman, who will be of warm order to regain the title he won in 2023 having surrendered the crown to Kyprios 12 months ago.

A field of five includes Trawlerman’s Gosden-trained stablemate Sweet William, fresh from Doncaster Cup success, and the pair of Stay True and Saratoga from Ballydoyle.

A maximum field of 20 will line up for the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes and last year’s winning owners Wathnan Racing are mob-handed, with Jerome Reynier’s Royal Ascot winner Lazzat, Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda and James Fanshawe’s defending champion Kind Of Blue all donning the old gold and peacock blue.

Mick Appleby’s Haydock Sprint Cup winner Big Mojo is reunited with Tom Marquand and is another leading name, while William Haggas’ Montassib was fifth in this last season and will try to better that result after an encouraging comeback at Newbury.

Kalpana will make a swift return to the track to defend the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes title she won 12 months ago after finishing seventh in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe recently.

She will face the likes of David O’Meara’s Estrange, who missed out on a trip to ParisLongchamp after a dirty scope during the week of the Arc, and Owen Burrows’ Lillie Langtry winner Waardah, who has had this race as her target since finding the scoresheet at Goodwood.

The first-ever running of the Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes will see 13 head to post headed by Charlie Appleby’s Mill Reef hero Words Of Truth, while Native Warrior will search for a famous course hat-trick when a full field compete in the concluding Balmoral Handicap.