Burrows banking on Anmaat's turn of foot in Irish Champion

Owen Burrows outlined plans for some of his stable stars on Racing TV's Luck On Sunday show today, with Anmaat on target for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Last year’s impressive Champion Stakes winner has finished runner-up on both his starts this term, firstly to Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May before chasing home Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot a month later.

However, with plenty of rain forecast for Leopardstown, Burrows is confident of another big performance from the lightly-raced seven-year-old as he told presenter Rishi Persad on the latest Luck On Sunday programme: “There’s plenty of rain forecast and he’s in great shape – the plan is to head over there. 

“It was soft old ground that day [when winning at Ascot last October] and not many horses can show that turn of foot on that ground. 

“If you take the winner out of the Prince Of Wales he was well clear of the rest – if Jim [Crowley] could have sat on him for just a little longer then it would have meant that William [Buick, rider of winner Ombudsman] couldn’t have got out – but we weren’t unlucky. 

“He might just be a bit better on soft ground and we will drop in, take our time - Leopardstown is a short straight so it’s a little bit different – but his turn of foot could be crucial.” 

Despite Anmaat’s advancing years, Burrows believes that he still has plenty to offer at the top level and after this week’s trip to Ireland the plan is to head back to Ascot next month to defend his Champion Stakes crown. 

He explained: “I’m looking forward to getting him back out because he’s in real good form. 

“Then it will be back to Ascot for the Champion Stakes. 

“We will see how he does after that – his enthusiasm is still there, he loves his work, and his ears are always pricked.” 

Burrows has 51 horses in training at his Lambourn base and has a host of promising younger horses ready to take the next step up to Group One level, including the three-year-old Waardah who has taken significant steps forward this term. 

The impressive Goodwood winner is prominent in the betting for next month's Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and is on track for that top-level contest after Burrows decided against running her at Doncaster in-between. 

He explained: “She appreciates soft ground – I did think about putting her in the Park Hill this week - but she would have had a Group Two penalty and why risk a Group One target?  

“She’s in really good form and I'm looking forward to getting her back out. She’s only had three runs this year but is a listed and Group Two winner; if she could be placed in a Group One that would be huge. 

“It would be great if she could stay in training next year – she's a Postponed filly out of a New Approach mare so another winter on her back would see her strengthen up again. 

“It’s great that she’s getting it done now, though.” 

The future is looking bright for Burrows who is enjoying his best season since 2018, with 25 winners already at a strike-rate of 25% which jumps up to 30% when taking his three-year-old horses in isolation. One of those such winners is Gethin who was an impressive scorer at Newbury back in April and who heads to France next before a possible tilt at an end of season Group One. 

Burrows said: “He will go to France on Friday for a Listed race and he’s still in the Arc and the Champion Stakes. It’s asking a lot but he’s pretty decent, I think. 

“The Newbury form has been boosted, but he had a little setback after that which was annoying. He was ready to go at Windsor a couple of weeks ago, but the ground was a bit quick and we didn’t want to risk him on that. 

“He’s a horse I do really like – he could potentially be very smart.” 

Burrows also issued positive bulletins on Falakeyah, who could head to Newmarket next for the Pride Stakes, and two-year-old Raaheeb who could also be on his way to HQ for the Royal Lodge Stakes at the end of September following a ready success at Ascot on debut. 

Burrows detailed: “We weren’t 100% happy with Falakeyah after Royal Ascot – she just wasn’t herself – so she went back to Shadwell for a bit of a break but is back with me now. 

“We’re happy – we might look at the Pride Stakes with her – but she will tell us when she’s ready. 

“Raaheb had done everything right at home but he’s still half asleep – he doesn’t know he’s born yet. 

“He’d managed to get on the grass on Wednesday for the first time and he’d been into the [Lambourn] village and worked well with a good lead horse. 

“That was a good change of scenery and it’s different from going up and down the artificial gallops. 

“It’s only a five minute ride in the horse box but it does them the world of good. 

“He looks more in the Hukkum mould at the moment – which doesn’t bother me! - but I thought seven furlongs on that testing ground would suit as he has a bit of a knee action. 

“We will see how good a race it was in time, but he wasn’t drawn well, and he was very professional throughout and he stretched and lengthened well through the line.”