KARL BURKE says the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival is a source of great pride to local trainers.

Over the next four days, York's racecourse at the Knavesmire, will be playing host to some of the biggest names in the racing world.

The trainers, owners, and jockeys will be battling for record prize money of £4m and seeking victory in prestige races such as the Juddmonte International, the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, and the BetFred Ebor.

Leyburn-based Burke, who trained Quiet Reflection to victory this summer at Royal Ascot, is targeting today's Betway Stakes Nursery Handicap with Burrishoole Abbey and the Fine Equinity Stakes with Intense Tango.

He also trains You're Fired in tomorrow's Clipper Logistics Stakes one mile handicap and Medici Banchiere in the Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday afternoon.

"We all love winning at York," Burke told the Press. "None of the local trainers like getting beat there. The Ebor is a great meeting and York is a fantastic racecourse.

"It's always tough and, rightly so, because the prize money is superb," he added. "The powers that be at York put on fantastic prize money, especially this year, and I don't think there is a race for less than sixty grand which is superb. It's a great credit to them - to put that money on - and shows what can be done."

Burke revealed that Burrishoole Abbey, a recent winner at Carlisle, was pulled out of a French race last weekend to go instead for the 'bigger prize money' in the £60,000 Betway Stakes Nursery Handicap.

"There is no point, on any track, going there to fill up numbers," he said. "I never like doing that and the handicaps at York are very hard to get in. Burrishoole Abbey is a nice colt who I think is very well handicapped.

"We are going there with two or three chances. Fit and well and in great form," Burke added. "If we can get a winner, that will be great, our festival will have been a success."

Trainer Kevin Ryan flies the flag for Yorkshire with the Grey Gatsby in today's Juddmonte International.