Venetian Sun shines in Albany and earns Guineas quotes

Venetian Sun

backed up Karl Burke’s confidence in her ability with a dominant display in the Albany Stakes at Royal .

Ante-post favourite in the build up to the race following an impressive winning debut at Carlisle, she was sent off at 7-1 in the end with Burke having drawn a blank with several other fancied juvenile runners this week.

She also had to overcome what looked a disadvantageous draw in stall one under Clifford Lee, yet despite having no cover, she was in front with a furlong to run and pulled a length and a half clear of Awaken and Balantina.

Burke said of his daughter of Starman, who is owned by Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy: “She’s a beauty of a filly. She was asleep in the prelims, she’s done it the hard way, stuck on the worst draw on paper so I’m just delighted for everybody.

“Her work at home has been pretty special, I certainly haven’t had a two-year-old work the way she has. She’s kicked some proper horses out of the way, so much so that the first time she did it I had to change to another good lead horse just to prove a point and she did the same to him.

“She’s a special filly. I was gutted we got the draw that we had and to be honest, she’s won despite that because it’s not really the way we like to ride her – loads of daylight.

“She’s got a great turn of foot and she can get in amongst them and use it. She’ll stay further, I think six or seven, she’s got a great chance next year of being a Guineas filly but we’ll enjoy today and plan for the future.

“She’s a beautiful looking filly, she was an expensive Book One filly. She wasn’t a precocious early one, which sounds strange as she’s won now but she was never going to be a five-furlong filly, even though she’s won over five.

“The two older horses she’s been working with, Spycatcher and Lethal Levi, they’re good old work horses and proper Group horses – almost Group One horses – I haven’t had a two-year-old that would do that to that type of animal before.”

Bloom, who has enjoyed huge success with his runners over jumps, said: “Yes, 7-1 looks a good price now, and she was 12-1 this morning as well. Given the confidence Karl gave us, we had to have a decent bet. We’ll leave it to the boss, but we’re looking ahead to next season and to a potential 1000 Guineas, so that would be something really to look forward to.”

Venetian Sun was shortened from a general 50-1 into 25-1 for next year's 1000 Guineas after the race, but that price did not last long. She is  now as short as 14-1 with Unibet and Paddy Power for the race.