Venetian Sun underlined her class with an emphatic performance in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, strengthening her case as an early frontrunner for next year’s 1,000 Guineas. The daughter of Starman, trained by Karl Burke and owned by Brighton & Hove Albion FC chairman Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, justified strong home expectations to win decisively by a length and a half.
Breaking from stall one, Venetian Sun defied concerns over her draw to power home on the far side under jockey Clifford Lee. Longshots Awaken (66/1) and Balantina (40/1) filled the minor placings, with all top-three finishers drawn four or lower — a notable trend on the straight course this week.
“She’s a very special filly,” said Burke. “The work she has done at home over the past six weeks — I haven’t had a two-year-old filly work like that. She’s been kicking Group horses out of the way in gallops. I worked her with 110-rated horses and she handled them with ease.”
Venetian Sun had already turned heads with a stylish debut win at Carlisle last month, a track Burke often uses to introduce top-tier juveniles. That performance sparked early interest, but it was her rapid improvement in the weeks that followed that truly impressed her connections.
“She was very babyish at Carlisle,” said Lee. “But the progress she made after that run was remarkable. We knew she had talent, but winning at Royal Ascot — that confirms she’s top-class. I’m so thankful to Mr. Burke and Mr. Bloom for trusting me with the ride.”
Owner Tony Bloom echoed the praise. “Karl has had huge belief in her. He kept telling us how special she is, and she’s proved it today. Despite a tricky draw, she showed class and maturity. Watching her today, I feel confident she’ll stay further and develop into a 1,000 Guineas filly.”
Co-owner Ian McAleavy added, “Karl told us she was the best two-year-old filly he’s trained, and that gave us the confidence to back her. The team at the yard has done a fantastic job.”
There was also recognition for the efforts of the placed horses. Trainer George Boughey praised Awaken’s runner-up finish, calling it “not unexpected” despite her outsider status. “She’s still raw and green, but has real promise,” he said.
Balantina, under Tom Marquand, produced a strong late run after a slow start. “She ran massive,” Marquand noted. “It was a bit frustrating that she was slowly away again, but she did incredibly well to finish third.”
With a Royal Ascot win now on her résumé and rave reviews from her connections, Venetian Sun looks set for a glittering career — with the 1,000 Guineas already firmly in her sights.
