A jubilant Karl Burke blew kisses to the crowd as Zeus Olympios crossed the finish line, extending his unbeaten record to four. The three-year-old colt, trained by Burke, delivered a breathtaking performance in the Group Two BOYLE Sports Daily Racing Rewards Joel Stakes at Newmarket, leaving the 4-5 favourite Opera Bello in his wake.
Homebred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Zeus Olympios joined the Burke stable from Roger Varian earlier this year. After victories at Kempton Park and Thirsk, he captured the Group Three Superior Mile at Haydock Park in impressive fashion, but today’s mile contest marked a clear statement of his burgeoning talent.
Racing keenly early on, Zeus Olympios gained ground steadily before hitting the front with a furlong to run. A decisive turn of foot saw him surge past Opera Bello, claiming victory by two and a quarter lengths, eliciting cheers from an enthusiastic Newmarket crowd.
Karl Burke, visibly thrilled, said: “I’d say we’ve definitely got a Group One horse. He has a turn of foot that is very exciting. Things backfired a bit with Godolphin’s other horse, but for him to cut down the favourite like that was impressive. This colt is really a horse for next year—he’s a late maturing talent, and we’ve been very careful with him.”
Winning jockey Clifford Lee, celebrating his 84th win of the season, added: “We’ve liked him since he came to the yard. He stayed the trip very well and saw it out nicely. He’s a lovely horse with a great attitude and plenty of speed underneath him.”
Elsewhere at Newmarket, two-year-old fillies took centre stage in the Group Two BOYLE Sports Home Of Early Payout Rockfel Stakes. Zanthos, under Oisin Murphy, made all to beat The Prettiest Star by half a length, marking her second win from three starts. Trainer Simon Crisford said: “She is really exciting, classy, and has a lovely long stride. We’ll see where she goes next year.”
In the Group Three Princess Royal Stakes (Sponsored By BOYLE Sports), Godolphin’s Silent Love produced a gritty front-running performance over a mile and a half. With William Buick opting for market leader Spirited Style, Billy Loughnane guided the Dubawi filly to a neck victory over Karmology. Trainer Charlie Appleby praised the filly’s stamina and potential for improvement: “She went out there and got into a lovely rhythm—still a bit raw, but very promising.”
Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire Meeting continues to showcase emerging stars, with Zeus Olympios now firmly on the radar as a top-class prospect.
Read the full Newmarket report on RaceBuzz.
