Andab adds spice to classy line-up in Burradon Stakes

Irish raider Andab heads a quality field for the BetMGM Burradon Stakes at Newcastle.

The son of Saxon Warrior mixed it with the best around as a two-year-old last season, running in credit in Group races won by Albert Einstein, Gstaad and Zavateri on home soil before taking second in a French Group Three.

Having rounded off the campaign with a Listed success on the all-weather at Dundalk, Joseph O’Brien’s charge travelled to Qatar and was beaten just a head in the lucrative Al Rayyan Mile Cup in Doha, teeing him up for a first start in Britain on Good Friday.

“He had a good run in Qatar and the prize-money is obviously good here,” said O’Brien

“He won on the all-weather in the past and this looked a good race for him, especially as the ground on the grass is pretty soft at the moment.

“We hope he can be be a solid Group-type horse for the summer.”

Andab’s six rivals include the Oliver Cole-trained Jel Pepper, who was last seen landing a valuable sales race at Newmarket in October over seven furlongs.

Cole said: “I think he’s in great form, this looks a nice opportunity for him and we’re looking forward to the race.

“It will be interesting to see whether he gets the mile, if he does it will open up some nice opportunities for him and if not we’ll have to go back to seven.

“He goes up there fresh and well.”

Karl Burke’s Billecart bolted up over the course and distance four weeks ago but faces a step up in class, while Charlie Johnston’s filly Timeforshowcasing earned herself a three-figure rating by winning three of her five starts at two and holds big-race entries in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent.

“We’re certainly very hopeful. She had a good juvenile campaign, she didn’t disgrace herself in the May Hill (finished fifth) by any stretch and rounded off the year with a good win in Goodwood,” said Johnston.

“She’s got some lofty entries and this will tell us how realistic they are. This was the only real option for her over a mile, most of the fillies’ trials are over seven furlongs and we really wanted to start her at the mile, so this was the obvious place to to come.

“She seems in good form and has wintered well, so we’re going there hopeful that she should be in the shake-up really.”

The only other filly in the field is Alarming, who blew any cobwebs away by finishing third in a Listed race in France three weeks ago for trainer Ralph Beckett and owners Nick Bradley Racing.

Bradley said: “She’s a smart filly and I put her in at the last minute thinking it might not be the strongest race.

“She loves a battle, she digs in and I think she’ll like the track and surface. I wouldn’t be shocked if she ran a big race.”

Andrew Balding’s New Monarch and Charlie Pike’s Southwell scorer Padraig Dawn complete the field.