Venetian Sun Returned to Her Kingdom and Crowned Herself as the Best European 3-Year-Old Sprinter

The daughter of Starman left behind the mile attempt in the 1000 Guineas (G1) and recovered her best form to capture the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot

BERKSHIRE, England (Special for Turf Diario).– The adventure over the mile has been definitively shelved. Right where doubts seemed to have settled after her lackluster performance in the 1000 Guineas (G1), Venetian Sun went back to doing what she does best: running fast. And on the most demanding stage of all, she confirmed her status as the leader among 3-year-old sprinters by prevailing this Friday in the Commonwealth Cup (G1), one of the centerpiece events on the fourth day of Royal Ascot.

The representative for Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy arrived preceded by a commanding rehabilitation in the Sandy Lane Stakes (G2) at Haydock and ratified that impression with a performance of immense character over the straight 1200 meters of the royal racecourse.

Ridden with confidence by Clifford Lee, the daughter of Starman always stalked the pace, advanced decisively with 200 meters remaining, and, once in the lead, found new reserves to resist the final onslaught of the outsider Spicy Marg(Starspangledbanner), who pushed the favorite to the limit before falling by just a head. From the back of the pack, Division (Kingman) completed the podium half a length behind the runner-up.

The victory held a special meaning for Karl Burke, who a decade after celebrating with Quiet Reflection(Showcasing) captured the Commonwealth Cup once again.

"More than enjoying it, I felt relief," the trainer acknowledged. "She is an extremely quiet filly, and I think a lot of people got carried away by how spectacular her win at Haydock was. It was a visually striking performance, but the soft ground had a lot to do with it. We always said she appreciated firm ground, and maybe that's why she didn't look as dominant. But she remains a G1 winner."

Burke also highlighted the importance of delivering in a week that until then had been somewhat frustrating for his powerful stable: "We came with a large team and had several placings, though also a few disappointments. That's why it was fundamental for our ace to deliver. I am very happy for Clifford, who continues to grow steadily as a jockey."

For Lee, the victory represented another memorable chapter alongside a filly that had already given him a top-level conquest in France last season: "She is a pleasure to ride. We tried to stretch her out to the mile in the Guineas, but now we know perfectly well what her specialty is. She has a tremendous turn of foot. I let her find her stride gradually, and when I asked her, she responded extraordinarily. When she hit the front, she seemed to have everything under control, but when she felt the second horse coming, she wouldn't let her pass," he explained.

The jockey is also going through a particularly emotional moment after returning this year from a severe cervical injury: "I was out for 5 and a half months without riding after fracturing my C1 vertebra. It was a long and hard process, but I feel I came back stronger. Winning a G1 at Royal Ascot is exactly the kind of reward one dreams about."

Tony Bloom, co-owner of the winner and well-known owner of Brighton & Hove Albion, was equally thrilled: "We knew the mile wasn't for her, but we needed to test it. Karl was very confident for this race, and while we were too, winning a G1 here is never easy. Great horses find a way to prevail in tight finishes, and she proved it again. It's a dream to own a filly like this."

Now, with six victories in six starts between 1000 and 1200 meters and the prestigious Prix Morny (G1) already in her trophy cabinet since her 2-year-old season, Venetian Sun has not only recovered her best form. She also made it clear that, back in sprint distances, she is once again the undisputed benchmark for an entire generation.

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