The partnership that defines his career right now is with trainer Fergal O'Brien. From 275 rides together they have produced 41 winners — winning at 15%, or close to 1 in every 6 — which is a notch above his overall average and a sign that O'Brien's yard genuinely rates him. When a trainer keeps coming back to the same jockey at that kind of frequency, it usually means more than just availability. It means trust.
Burke has already collected 21 wins in the top tier of British racing, and the venues on that list are not obscure — Cheltenham, Ascot, and Taunton feature among them. Two of those came in quick succession this season, with Class 1 victories at Market Rasen in January and Ascot on Valentine's Day 2026. Winning at the top level is where careers are defined, and Burke has done it repeatedly enough that it can no longer be called a surprise.
One detail that stands out is how well he performs when the ground turns genuinely wet and muddy. From 13 races in those conditions he has won 3, a win rate of 23% — nearly 1 in 4. That is a significant jump above his usual level and suggests he either adapts his riding style intelligently or simply gets given the right horses for the conditions. Either way, it is a useful edge. He also has a particular affinity for Ffos Las, where he has won 3 races from just 6 rides — half of everything he has ridden there has ended in victory, which is a remarkable return at any track, let alone one where even good jockeys often go unrewarded. Four years in, Burke looks very much like a jockey still moving upwards.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | 41 | 6 | 14.6% |
| Uttoxeter | 39 | 9 | 23.1% |
| Warwick | 34 | 5 | 14.7% |
| Ludlow | 33 | 5 | 15.2% |
| Market Rasen | 29 | 8 | 27.6% |
| Cheltenham | 28 | 2 | 7.1% |
| Huntingdon | 23 | 1 | 4.3% |
| Kempton Park | 21 | 2 | 9.5% |
| Southwell | 20 | 5 | 25% |
| hereford | 19 | 0 | 0% |
| Aintree | 18 | 2 | 11.1% |
| Chepstow | 16 | 2 | 12.5% |
| Stratford-on-Avon | 14 | 3 | 21.4% |
| Newbury | 14 | 2 | 14.3% |
| Ascot | 14 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Bangor-on-Dee | 14 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Wincanton | 11 | 3 | 27.3% |
| Exeter | 11 | 0 | 0% |
| Sandown Park | 10 | 0 | 0% |
| Doncaster | 10 | 0 | 0% |
| Haydock Park | 9 | 3 | 33.3% |
| Taunton | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Plumpton | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| Fontwell Park | 7 | 2 | 28.6% |
| Catterick Bridge | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Ffos Las | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| Newton Abbot | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Ayr | 5 | 1 | 20% |
| Wetherby | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Leicester | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Sedgefield | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| Lingfield Park | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Musselburgh | 3 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Hexham | 3 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Punchestown | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Perth | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Newcastle | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Windsor | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Kelso | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Galway | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Carlisle | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Leopardstown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Cartmel | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| York | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Chester | 1 | 0 | 0% |