Curragh reverse, but Classic hopes already rising for Venetian Sun

Venetian Sun is likely to reappear in the 1000 Guineas in May after ending her juvenile campaign with her first defeat in a somewhat luckless run in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Sunday.

The Karl Burke-trained two-year-old was unbeaten in four starts heading into the Group One contest at the Curragh, where she stepped up to seven furlongs for the first time, thanks to Pattern successes in the Albany Stakes, Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Prix Morny over the summer.

However, she could not find a clear run at a crucial point which delayed her effort and she eventually finished two and a half lengths behind Precise and Beautify in third.

“I think the plan was to follow the favourite (Composing) through, which we did, but then we got blocked in and then the winner and the second both got first run on her,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Tony Bloom, who owns the filly in partnership with Ian McAleavy.

“But when she came out of the pocket and Clifford (Lee, jockey) gave her a smack, she really did accelerate and I thought she was finishing her race stronger than maybe the two in front of her, she just ran out of real estate.”

The daughter of Starman will now take a well-earned break after a busy season, with Classic ambitions on the cards for her return, with connections she showed enough to suggest the mile will be within her compass.

“That’s her final run for this year, she’ll be put away. We are pretty certain she stayed well, so I think the Guineas next year will be an early-season target,” Graham added.

“Because she’s a Group One winner at two, I’d be very surprised if we went for a trial because you have to carry a penalty, so it will probably be the Guineas.

“There are so many things that can happen over the winter, she has to be working well in the spring to justify running in the Guineas and it will be a case of the filly telling Karl whether she is ready or not to run.”

He added: “There’s a lot of boxes to tick, you’re not just going to rock up at the Guineas. Things have to go well between now and then for that to happen.”