‘Very, very useful' Venetian Sun could be Albany bound
Trainer Karl Burke has an envious hand in the juvenile division (Mike Egerton/PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.
Karl Burke unleashed another potentially smart juvenile at Carlisle on Monday when Venetian Sun justified odds-on favouritism and earned quotes for the Albany Stakes in the process.
That Royal Ascot contest over six furlongs is now her target after winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes, which had £40,000 on offer.
Owned by Brighton supremo Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, Venetian Sun (1-2) is a Starman filly who cost 240,000 guineas at the sales and won by one and a half lengths from a previous winner.
The winner was introduced at 12-1 for the Albany by Betfair and Paddy Power.
'The bookmakers aren't doing me any favours, any two-year-old we run is odds-on!' Burke told Racing TV.
'She probably deserved to be odds-on, she's a beautiful filly, has worked very well and that's the first time she's been off the bridle, so there's loads of improvement in her.
'If she goes to Royal Ascot, it will be the Albany I would think, she's a real six-furlong filly.
'To be fair to Cliff (Lee), he gave her a lovely ride, he said he ended up hitting the front too soon because he didn't think she was going to do anything too quickly as it was just greenness, she'll learn loads from that.
'She lengthened but then Cliff thought she was just dossing a bit in front and then pulling up, she had a big gasp, so there's plenty of improvement.
'I would say it was a very good race for the grade – and for £40,000, so it should be.
'I would say she's very, very useful.'
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