Karl Burke has a strong team gearing up for Finals Day, headed by El Caballo in the £150,000 Coral Three-Year-Old All-Weather Championships (3.10pm) over six furlongs.
El Caballo has been the standout performer in the division thanks to three straight victories, culminating with a length success in the seven-furlong Listed Coral Spring Cup at Lingfield Park on March 5.
Prior to that, the son of Havana Gold won a Fast-Track Qualifier by three lengths at Wolverhampton in December and then showed his liking for six furlongs at Newcastle with another dominant display in February.
El Caballo is set to be joined by Kaboo, who completed a hat-trick of All-Weather wins in a Fast-Track Qualifier at Kempton Park in January before finishing fourth in a Lingfield Park handicap on March 9, when he ruined his chances by drifting across the track.
Burke said: “El Caballo is in great order. He has been working really well and, to be honest, I am absolutely delighted with him.
“I think he is a Group horse in the making and I am hoping that he can go and show that on Friday.
“Kaboo did not handle the track at Lingfield. Newcastle will suit him a lot better, as he showed earlier in the season, but I would not think he has the class to handle the other fella.”
The Middleham trainer has three bullets to fire at the £150,000 Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships (2.35pm) over six furlongs. Spycatcher looks the pick on form having led home a one-two for the stable in the Listed Betway Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park in February, as he flashed home to deny Lord Of The Lodge by a neck.
Lord Of The Lodge was victorious on Finals Day last year, taking out the seven-furlong All-Weather Championships Apprentice Handicap under top weight, and this season has won class two events at Newcastle and Kempton Park.
Burke’s remaining entry Exalted Angel was beaten a head into second by Summerghand in the Betway All-Weather Sprint Championships 12 months ago but needs one horse to come out to be guaranteed a run.
The trainer said: “Spycatcher has had a few issues with quarter cracks, which has held us up a bit since his last run, but he is in good shape now and moving well.
“If he runs like he did in the Kachy Stakes, he should have every chance, and the track at Newcastle will play more to his strengths than Lingfield.
“Lord Of The Lodge has come back from Dubai in good shape and I can see him running a big race. He has a good record at Newcastle and that can only be a positive.
“Exalted Angel would have been at least third behind the other two in the Kachy Stakes had he not been hampered close home.
“Then we made the mistake of running him back quickly a couple of times, so we gave him a break and he is coming back to himself now. I will be disappointed if he doesn’t get a run because of a ballot mark.”
