Royal Lodge Stakes preview: “I think he’s a very good horse"

Burning Up will bid to follow in the illustrious hoofprints of Bow Echo when he puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes.

Karl Burke’s juvenile has a similar profile to George Boughey’s recently-retired superstar miler, who this time 12 months ago was a dual winner bidding to round off his two-year-old campaign with victory in this one-mile Group Two.

Burning Up has a long way to go to match the achievements of the 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace and Sussex Stakes winner, of course, but he too has made a fine start to his career in the same colours of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, earning himself this step up in grade with back-to-back novice victories at Haydock.

Burke said: “He’s a totally different type of horse (to Bow Echo) – I think this fella will end up at least a mile-and-a-quarter horse next year and maybe a mile-and-a-half horse, but he deserves to take his chance in this race.

“I think he’s a very good horse and he’s improved with each run, but he’s obviously going to have to improve.

“I’d have preferred slower ground, but he’s a nimble horse and he’s not slow. It is what it is and at least we’ll know how he handles it for next year.”

Charlie Appleby is finding it difficult to split his two declared runners, First Law and Quest For Stars.

Like Bow Echo last season, First Law won Haydock’s Listed Ascendant Stakes en route to Newmarket, while Quest For Stars won his first three starts before finishing third behind the exciting Darkness Falls in the Group One Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown.

Stable jockey William Buick has stuck with First Law, meaning Billy Loughnane is called up to ride his stablemate. However, Appleby warns the former’s participation is ground dependent.

“I’ve spoken to the clerk of the course and William has also said it’s beautiful, safe ground. We’ll keep an eye on it for First Law, but we’ve got the other horse in there as well and he’s as tough as teak,” said the Moulton Paddocks handler.

“Realistically I thought he should be favourite as he’s already a stakes winner and Group One-placed in Ireland – he’s rock-solid in what he has achieved to date.

“They are two horses who I don’t think will look out of place in this race and I would be sitting on the fence regarding who would come out on top.”

Marco Botti’s Rocket Boy has form that ties in with both Godolphin horses, having finished second to Quest For Stars in the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury and then pushed First Law close on Merseyside.

Botti said: “He’s a nice horse – he could be well named! He’s done nothing wrong and the form is solid with the two Godolphin horses, but the only thing I would say is the ground will suit him better here than Haydock as I think he is definitely a fast ground horse.

“I thought he did well on soft ground at Haydock because I had my doubts over whether he would handle it, but he showed his courage and ran a good race.”

Acomb Stakes winner Haffner needs to bounce back from an underwhelming run at the Irish Champions Festival for Aidan O’Brien, who said: “It was a bit too bad to be true the last day in the National Stakes – we think the ground was too soft for him. We know he’s a bit better than that.”

The field is completed by Charlie Johnston’s outsider Iwasjustsaying and the Andrew Balding-trained Goodwood maiden winner Quicken Away.

Oisin Murphy rides the latter, and told Tattersalls: “Quicken Away has had two starts and I’ve been very happy with both runs. He’s obviously stepping up in grade here but he’s a horse that has always been well liked so it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on.”