Sprint plot afoot for Royal Fixation

Classic ambitions have been shelved for Royal Fixation as connections intend to utilise her proven speed and set up a Commonwealth Cup bid at Royal Ascot.

The daughter of Palace Pier raced exclusively at six furlongs when trained by Ed Walker last season, the highlight of her juvenile campaign being victory in the Lowther Stakes at York before ending the season with a respectable third in the Cheveley Park.

Bought privately since by Forz Europe Ltd and switched to Karl Burke, she was handed an entry for the Betfred 1000 Guineas by her new team, but they have since decided to stick to sprinting distances and target a race the Spigot Lodge handler has won with Quiet Reflection in the past.

Paul Curran, racing and bloodstock manager for the owners, said: “She’s a Lowther winner who we bought her last year on the back of her smart form and she hasn’t done too much growing over the winter but something she has done is has strengthened up really well.

“We’ve had a bit of a change of heart and change of plan with her and we were looking at testing her to see if she could stay the mile, but looking at her physically, she’s looking a faster, sharper filly and having spoken with Karl we’ve decided to go back sprinting with her.

“She will be aimed at the Commonwealth Cup with a prep race before and there’s plenty of time to get one in before Royal Ascot.

“She’s an exciting recruit and is going really nicely at Karl’s, he’s really happy with her. She works with Venetian Sun who is on the same form lines from last year and you’re in the right place with Karl, he has some exciting sprinters and fillies up at his and we know she’s in good hands.”

One filly that the owners have with Burke that will be racing over a mile – if not venturing over further this season – is Fillies’ Mile third Evolutionist.

The daughter of Night Of Thunder, who holds an entry for both the English and French 1000 Guineas, could begin her season at ParisLongchamp on April 12 in the Prix de La Grotte before a Classic option comes into range.

“Evolutionist has done very well over winter and she was a big filly at two but has even more presence about her this year which is great,” continued Curran.

“She got a great mind and is going well and we’re taking a look at her distance. She handled the mile very nicely at two and physically looks like a filly who will certainly get further.

“She will get a nice trial in the next few weeks and we’re probably going to go to France with her. We hope she can come through that and show she is a Guineas hopeful and fingers crossed with her she’s an exciting filly.”

Evolutionist is a best price of 66-1 for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 3.