Karl Burke's Zelaina and Reciprocated enter Royal Ascot reckoning with Nottingham debut wins

Wathnan Racing-owned filly Zelaina could hardly have been more impressive first time up under James Doyle in the PricedUp Pushes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes, the daughter of Mehmas bouncing out from stall 12 and not seeing another rival. The even-money favourite was two and three-quarter lengths clear of closest pursuer Secret Oath (4/1) at the line, with well-backed Novelette (100/30) in third.

Zelaina would be looking to follow in the hoofprints of last year's Queen Mary Stakes winner Leovanni, who won the same Nottingham maiden en route to the Royal meeting.

That horse went off at 22/1 when completing the double but Zelaina is already as short as 4/1 with Sky Bet for Queen Mary glory in a couple of weeks' time.

Burke said on Racing TV: "I haven't seen the replay yet but I'm looking forward to it. Look, she's very quick and I think she's got a lot of ability. She likes to get on with things as you've seen there but her homework had shown she's very good. And if it wasn't for a little setback she had three weeks ago - she missed 10 days of work and I was a little bit concerned - I would have been disappointed if she hadn't done the job well, and I think she's done it very well.

"Fitness-wise she's had a good healthy blow and she'll come on. She'll come on in her coat and she'll come on in her coat as well.

"Leovanni is a different type, probably a bit more mentally secure. This filly isn't bad (in that regard), she just likes to get on with it. If we can get her there in the form we'd like then we'll be very happy."

Doyle said: "She'd been doing the right things at home, Karl said we weren't 100% coming here today, she's just had a few little things that meant she's had a bit of an easy time so we were a bit worried about fitness but Karl said she's very fast. She's shown at the breeze-ups and at home that she's got an engine.

"She caught me by surprise, she was out the gates and up into that stride, and away she went. She's quite hot and going into Ascot we just need to iron out those creases but she's got a hell of a big engine and plenty of pace.

"We'd have preferred to have taken a lead but she had too much pace."

'He's maybe a July Stakes sort of horse'

Earlier, Reciprocated made a fine start in the PricedUp Daily Sports Boosts Novice Stakes but Burke doesn't necessarily see him as a Royal Ascot juvenile.

The son of Havana Grey comfortably saw off Silent Applause (6/1) and even-money favourite High Approval in the hands of Clifford Lee, despite being sent off a largely unconsidered 14/1 chance.

Burke said of the 450,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase: "I didn't expect him to win today to be honest, it looked a very hot race on paper and I said to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) this morning that I thought he'd run well and that he's a lovely horse, but I wasn't sure he was capable of doing that first time up so the future looks good for him I think. There's plenty of improvement.

"It was a horrible draw (stall 1), you hate being out on the wing with these two-year-olds first time out. But when we went through the race with Cliff beforehand, we were quite lucky that Andrew Balding's horse had had a run and George's Scott's horse who was drawn next to us went forward, so we used them to take us into the race and it worked well.

"He's a horse I think will be a little bit better with some cut in the ground and probably seven furlongs as well. He's always done things nicely but he's always been a slightly weak-looking horse. He's probably stronger than he looks and more mature than he looks."

Paddy Power introduced the winner at 14/1 for the Coventry Stakes, but the trainer said: "He's a nice horse but there are still some lovely horses still to come out. I'm happy where we're going. His race at Ascot would be the Coventry and that's going to come quite quick for him. And if we get quick ground there I'm not sure that would suit him.

"He's maybe a July Stakes sort of horse and then onto Goodwood. Personally I'd say not (Ascot), but I'll have to speak to the owner."

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