Karl Burke is looking forward to testing the ability of unbeaten filly Venetian Sun against the colts in the Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville later this month.
The Leyburn handler is readying the daughter of Starman for her Group One debut in the six furlong test, which he won back in 2017 with Unfortunately.
After making a winning debut at Carlisle in May the Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy-owned filly backed that success up with victory in the Group Three Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
And last month she made it a perfect three from three when taking a step up to Group Two company in her stride in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
Burke said: “Venetian Sun is fine.
She has had a nice easy week or two and she is back doing steady work now and we will build her up for the Prix Morny.
“That is the plan at the moment and as long as it looks like the right race when we get there with the entries and she is in good form then that is where we go.”
However, should Burke deviate from his plan he admits Venetian Sun will then make her top level debut the following month over seven furlongs in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
He added: “The Moyglare is the big race for her and is the main target.
If we are not happy with her before the Morny then we will go straight to the Moyglare.”
While the form of Venetian Sun’s latest success on the July Course has worked out well Burke believes it was not a reflection of what she is truly capable of.
He added: “The form of her Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes has worked out well with Spicy Marg winning a conditions race at Goodwood and Argentine Tango running well in the Molecomb.
“I know Ed thinks a lot of the second horse (Royal Fixation). I wouldn’t say we underperformed, but we were under prepped going into it as it was only a second thought going there.
We were in front a long way.
Clifford (Lee) probably made up his ground a little bit quick and we were in front a long way from home and she was idling and stopping a bit in front.”
And although Burke is excited to take on the colts for the first time in France he feels that a big danger could come from another filly in the shape of the Aidan O’Brien-trained True Love.
Since tasting defeat on her first two starts the daughter of No Nay Never has bagged a brace of Group Two victories after landing the Queen Mary at the Royal meeting and the GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh last time out.
He added: “It will be interesting taking on the colts here, but having said that I think if Aidan’s filly True Love rocks up then that will be a bigger test than most of the colts around I would have thought. It promises to be a really good race.”
Leave a Reply