Sandy Lane Stakes preview: Burke retains full faith in Venetian Sun

Venetian Sun should have conditions in her favour as one of last season’s star juveniles aims to put a disappointing run in the 1000 Guineas behind her in the William Hill Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

Her connections enjoyed a stellar 2025 with her, watching her race to success at Royal Ascot in the Albany Stakes before she beat the boys in the Prix Morny.

It was worth seeing if they could make her a Classic winner over a mile but she looked a clear case of a blatant non-stayer at Newmarket, albeit only beaten six lengths by True Love.

Now she returns to her favourite trip of six furlongs with ground to suit.

“We think cut in the ground suits her. Without exception, I think every time Cliff (Lee) got off her last season he said the ground was too quick. She was feeling the ground, even when she was winning.  So I wouldn’t want real deep ground for her, but hopefully good to soft should be perfect,” said Burke.

“I wouldn’t totally rule out seven furlongs later in the year, but she’s a very quick filly.

“The thing that gave me hope that she would stay a mile is she’s such a relaxed filly, at home, on the racetrack and in her work. She’s so relaxed, even to the point where we were spending a lot of time just sitting in behind horses, getting her to get used to that and quickening up, thinking we were doing the right thing.

“She got a bit bored with that, to be honest. Then one day I could see she wasn’t really interested in her work. We worked just over five furlongs with Beautiful Diamond and they both jumped off upsides to go a good gallop.

“I was thinking she would struggle to go with Beautiful Diamond and it was the other way around. So that probably should have clicked then that we have a speed horse rather than a miler. She’s a very quick horse.”

Michael Bell’s Spicy Marg is another dropping down in distance from the Guineas while Aidan O’Brien’s Brussels is a big player if he returns to his Breeders’ Cup form when second in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Clive Cox’s Coppull was another smart juvenile and he showed he had trained on when winning a trial for the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot.

Cox said: “It was a very pleasing seasonal debut to win the Pavilion and I couldn’t be more happy with how he has been since.

“He wintered really well and the development from two to three was clearly visible at Ascot. I loved the way he was able to quicken twice that day and he really did perform brilliantly.

“I’m just really pleased we’ve got nice horses like him to take to races like this. It’s extremely satisfying and for the team to be going through the early part of the season with such exciting prospects like this to look forward to is really rewarding and refreshing.”