Libertarian can free Yorkshire after long exile from Derby win

It would complete an unprecedented White Rose double after Auroras Encore, foolishly dismissed by many beforehand, ended Yorkshire’s 53-year Grand National jinx in April following an inspired piece of training by Sue Smith at her snow-hit stables near Bingley.

And victory would be emblematic of the gradual revival of Northern yards which have invariably lacked the horsepower to eclipse the greater successes of yesteryear – and the relentless dominance of those training yards in Newmarket, Lambourn and the South West that are bankrolled by wealthy owners.

No Yorkshire horse has won the Derby since Dante won the 1945 wartime renewal.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed and that Libertarian can finish the job – it would be fantastic to have both the National and Derby winners stabled in the county,” said Smith, speaking ahead of today’s showpiece race on Epsom Downs.

While Auroras Encore was a 66-1 outsider, Libertarian is the leading British challenger in the 12-runner Derby at odds of 16-1 after coming to prominence when winning the prestigious Betfred Dante Stakes at York last month.

Unraced as a two-year-old, he won his maiden race at Pontefract in April before a disappointing defeat at Sandown saw Yorkshire jockey Phil Makin replaced in the saddle for the Dante by big race expert William Buick, with the 24-year-old Northern Racing College graduate retaining the ride today.

Victory would also complete the road to redemption for Karl Burke, the Leyburn trainer whose career was derailed when he was banned from the sport for passing on inside information to disqualified owner Miles Rodgers.

It is why the licence was subsequently passed to his wife Elaine, the daughter of top trainer Alan Jarvis, and why she will etch her name in Derby folklore if the proven stamina of the rapidly improving Libertarian prevails over 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach – the red-hot favourite is not guaranteed to stay the one-and-a-half mile trip.

Burke is only the seventh woman to have a runner in the race following the pioneering Marjorie Nightingall who saddled Benroy in 1968. The most recent female-trained horse was American Post who finished sixth in 2004 for Criquette Head-Maarek whose compatriot Andre Fabre saddles Ocovango, France’s challenger.

With the Irish, French and German challenge so strong, much rests on Burke’s Libertarian and Mirsaale, who is a first Derby runner for Harrogate-born James Tate, the nephew of the record-breaking Michael Dickinson.

“It is a real team effort – that is why I always put the emphasis on ‘Team Burke’ as the whole family put so much work in with both of my daughters Kelly and Lucy working alongside Karl and myself,” said Burke.

After spending the past three years acquiring new horses for their stable at Spigot Lodge, where The Flying Dutchman was trained by John Fobert to win the 1849 Derby, Burke’s husband was relaxed as he oversaw Libertarian’s final piece of work on Middleham’s historic gallops with head lad Shaun Johnson in the saddle.

“We’ve never had an entry in the Derby, let alone a runner,” he said. “He’s a high-class horse and not the finished article.”

This view is shared by the aforementioned Buick who warmed up for the Derby by winning at Epsom yesterday on Gregorian. Asked after the Dante win whether Libertarian was a Derby horse, he told the Burkes: “Are you going to tell the owner that we’re not going to Epsom?”

Buick, who came in for the ride because his father Walter rode for the parents of Libertarian’s Danish-based owner Hubert Strecker, expects his mount to challenge late if he does not become unbalanced negotiating Tattenham Hill. “In the Dante, Libertarian really found his stride through the last two furlongs,” said Buick who came to prominence when winning the 2010 and 2011 St Legers at Doncaster.

“He’s a horse that’s improving fast and if he was trained in Newmarket at a bigger yard, I’m pretty sure he’d be several points shorter in the Derby betting – but make no mistake, Elaine and Karl Burke are well-aware of what they’ve got. There will be faster horses, and I’m sure there will be some that handle the track better than he might, but there will be few that stay as well as this boy.”

Champion jockey Richard Hughes, who rides Mars in today’s big race, swooped late to land the Investec Oaks yesterday on Talent to complete a famous one-two for Hampshire trainer Ralph Beckett whose Secret Gesture was second.

[email protected]