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Ellusive Butterfly springs Eternal at Carlisle

CarlisleCarlisle
© Healy Racing Photos

An appearance at Glorious Goodwood could be next on Ellusive Butterfly rsquo;s agenda after she supplemented Oaks day success at Epsom with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Eternal Stakes at Carlisle.

Karl Burke’s filly won the Surrey Stakes on rain-softened ground just under three weeks ago and was saddled with a 3lb penalty as she chased a Listed double in altogether different conditions. Just A Girl put down her challenge at the furlong marker and briefly headed Ellusive Butterfly, but the 5-2 shot responded to Clifford Lee asking for more and battled back to win the day by three-quarters of a length.

Goodwood Target After Gritty Carlisle Double

James Cowley, Karl Burke’s assistant and son-in-law, said: “It’s different ground and we were toying with the idea of being a non-runner, if I’m honest, but after the first race we asked all of the jockeys what it was like and they said it was lovely, safe ground.

“Cliff used the same tactics but in a different way today. She’s fast for a seven-furlong horse but she battles it out really well at the end. To win back-to-back Listed races with a penalty is a good performance, I think.

“Different ground, different track. The track will play out different to Epsom. You can and can’t do things on it and Cliff has given her a brilliant ride today.”

He added: “We’ll figure out a plan and there’s a good race for her at Goodwood (Oak Tree Stakes) so we’ll give her a freshen up and hopefully that will tee her up into that. She likes the undulating tracks and she handles it well. It’s a nice period of time for her now until Goodwood.”

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