Ayr Gold Cup: Lethal Levi beats stablemates to win for Karl Burke

Lethal Levi spearheaded a one-two-three for trainer Karl Burke in the Ayr Gold Cup.

Burke had already trained the first and second finishers in the race back in 1998, but he bettered that effort as Lethal Levi was just too good for stablemates Silky Wilkie and Korker in this year’s renewal.

The five-year-old has been running consistently well all season, but his victory over seven furlongs at Newbury last time pushed him up another 4lb and, combined with what had previously been seen as a negative draw in stall 20, he was sent off at 20-1 under Clifford Lee.

Adopting his usual front-running tactics, he was taken on for the lead by Silky Wilkie and half a furlong to run, Lethal Levi began to pull away and eventually crossed the line three lengths to the good.

Silky Wilkie held off stablemate Korker by a short head for second with Aramis Grey first home behind the Burke trio in fourth.

The heavily backed 11-4 favourite American Affair met plenty of traffic problems and finished unplaced.

Burke was not at Ayr, having decided to travel to Newbury where Andesite was due to contest the Mill Reef Stakes. However, he was withdrawn because of heavy ground, leaving Burke to take in the action at his Spigot Lodge base in Middleham.

“I thought we had plenty of staff going up to Ayr and I was heading to Newbury with the two-year-old, but when he didn’t run I stayed at home – I should have probably gone the other way,” he said.

“If everything went to plan, I did think Lethal was our best chance as he’s been in great form.

“It had looked like the handicapper had Lethal Levi until recently, but he won well at Newbury last time over seven and he’s broken the track record today over six. He’s in great form. Putting blinkers on him has made a huge difference.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do, I’d imagine he’ll be out of handicaps but I’ll have to look in the book, that looked to be at least a Group Three performance and he’d deserve the step up.”