Burdett Road defending Newmarket crown before big hurdling clash

Burdett Road seeks to defend his Godolphin Stakes title at Newmarket on Friday, before attentions turn to hurdles and a potential Fighting Fifth clash with Constitution Hill in November.

James Owen’s classy dual-purpose performer won this BoyleSports-sponsored 12-furlong event in emphatic fashion last year, before going on to excel back over timber, winning Cheltenham’s Greatwood Hurdle and finishing second in the Champion Hurdle at the Festival in March.

“He’s in great form. He’s had a nice break ahead of the jumps season, but we’re keen to get him out on the track and it’s nice to run at Newmarket rather than elsewhere and it’ll be nice to see what he can do,” said locally-based Owen.

“This will be his tune up and has probably come sooner than ideal, but he’s well in himself and has galloped well and this will definitely be a stepping stone to another race on the Flat or over hurdles.

“The early-season target will be the Fighting Fifth and the Elite could be an option for him as well.”

Burdett Road will face stiff opposition in the Listed contest, which has attracted seven runners including George Scott’s reappearing Isle Of Jura and Charlie Appleby’s twice-raced By The Book, who is another who has had a long layoff.

On the same card, Elwateen, fourth in the 1000 Guineas on just her second outing, makes her return to action in the Listed BoyleSports British EBF Rosemary Stakes over a mile.

Saeed bin Suroor’s filly went on to also run in the Oaks and the Falmouth Stakes, but having failed to match her Guineas form connections were minded to ease off her.

With an international campaign in mind early next year, Bin Suroor is keen to get her back in action and is hoping she can reappear in the sort of form she showed behind Desert Flower in the Rowley Mile Classic.

“We gave her a break after her last run, she had three tough races, but she’s doing good again now,” said Bin Suroor.

“She did a really nice piece of work on the round Limekilns gallop in Newmarket the other day and she’s in good form.

“This looks the right race for her to return in as we are looking at taking her out to Dubai and she’s ready to go.

“Out there there are races like the Balanchine and the Cape Verdi she can run in. We’ll see how she runs in this and talk to the owner whether we look at anything in Bahrain or Saudi.”

With Shadwell’s retained rider Jim Crowley recovering from a serious injury, Billy Loughnane will take the mount.

Bin Suroor added: “Jim is a great jockey and I hope he gets better soon. Billy is second in the championship now, he rides lots of winners.”

John and Thady Gosden’s Cajole is her main market rival in a field of 14.

Owen also runs Ambiente Amigo in the Group Three Princess Royal Stakes.

“She’s been running well consistently, but has had her Listed penalty to carry for her win at Nottingham,” said Owen.

“It will be nice to run her without that penalty and the drier ground will help her.

“She ran over the trip last year and it should be still within her compass.”

The Appleby-trained pair of Spirited Style (William Buick) and Silent Love (Loughnane) are also among the 11 runners.