By Tom Frary
Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke will head to Royal Ascot with some exciting two-year-olds and Monday's action at Carlisle saw Light Of Dawn (Showcasing) add her name to the list.
The victory follows a brace of winners for the Wathnan operation at Churchill Downs on Sunday, both of whom – Sneakily (Tapit) and Leading Change (Gun Runner) – were subsequently named 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard'.
Sent off the 5-6 favourite for the near-six-furlong novice, the €625,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up purchase was settled in rear of the quartet early by James Doyle having missed the break. Coming on strong approaching the final furlong, the half-sister to the Albany runner-up Bletchley (Makfi) readily asserted for a 1 1/2-length success from Capilano (Ten Sovereigns) with Caeruleus (Blue Point) the same margin back in third. Connections are looking at the same Group 3 contest at Royal Ascot for the winner.
“She's been quite relaxed in her work and she did jump a little bit slow, but it worked out nicely,” Doyle said. “She took a bit of pulling up and that's a good sign. She's got a bit of scope as well.”
Burke added, “This is a great track for two-year-olds and a good test up the hill. She can only keep on improving as the year goes on, but she's been bought to go to Ascot and all being well will go to the Albany. This is very close to it, there are only ten days so I didn't want her to have a hard time today. She was always going to come on after this fitness-wise, so I said to James if we can win hands and heels we'll do that.”
👀
€625,000 breeze up buy Light Of Dawn (Showcasing) looks a lovely type, running out a smooth debut winner for @karl_burke, @the_doyler and Wathnan Racing @CarlisleRaces pic.twitter.com/wCTDKGDp3Z
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 8, 2026
Alongside the aforementioned Bletchley, who after the Albany went on to also finish runner-up in Woodbine's Nassau, the Curragh Stakes-winning and Round Tower-placed dam has also produced the St Hughs Stakes scorer and Prix Texanita-placed Miaharris (Zoustar) and the Empress Stakes scorer Time Scale (Charm Spirit). An Ghalanta's yearling filly is by Dark Angel.
2nd-Carlisle, £40,000, Novice, 6-8, 2yo, 5f 182yT, 1:15.34, sf.
LIGHT OF DAWN (GB) (f, 2, Showcasing {GB}–An Ghalanta {Ire} {SW & GSP-Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) Sales history: 140,000gns Ylg '25 TATOCT; €625,000 2yo '26 ARQBRU. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,792.
O-Wathnan Racing; B-The An Ghalanta Partnership; T-Karl Burke.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
