Burke backing Venetian Sun to prove she is an elite sprinter in July Cup

Karl Burke is backing Venetian Sun to prove she is the best sprinter he has ever trained when she faces the toughest assignment of her dazzling career in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes.

The supremely talented daughter of Starman has bounced back in style from an early-season blip in the 1000 Guineas disappointment, cementing her position as the leading sprinter of her generation with a second Royal Ascot success in the Commonwealth Cup.

She now takes on her elders looking to replicate the victory of her sire in this race in 2021, and Burke said: “We’ve had some real good sprinters come through the yard, but she’s right up there with them for sure.

“I’m not sure you could say she’s improved since Ascot – we’ll find that out on Saturday, I suppose.

“Saturday will be a tough race, certainly the toughest sprint she’s been in, taking on the older horses. She’s got to step up again, but she looks fantastic.

“It’s great to be involved in these races, and they’re the races you aspire to, to have horses good enough to go there and to have a favourite – it’s exciting.”

Japanese raider Satono Reve is one of the older horses Venetian Sun will meet, bidding for both compensation and to replicate the heroics of compatriot Agnes World 26 years ago, having just lost out to William Haggas’ Almeraq in a bunch finish at Royal Ascot.

Burke agrees the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes form could prove key and added: “I think it was a tough race for all of those horses involved in the finish there. But they are that year older and they’re sprinters and you can get sprinters back a lot quicker.

“Form-wise, when you get four horses in a line, they can’t all be superstars, I wouldn’t have thought. The Japanese horse would suggest that the Hong Kong horse (Ka Ying Rising) is a long way ahead of them. they’re probably very good horses, obviously, but are they superstars? I’m not sure.

“I think, potentially, Venetian Sun still could prove herself to be a superstar and later in the year, we’ve definitely got the Breeders’ Cup meeting on the radar.”

However, before Venetian Sun heads to post her team will walk the course, with the possibility of “lightning fast” going seen as a real detriment to both her chances and participation.

“Anytime we have a runner in stakes races or where we think the draw could play a part, I always walk the track,” said Sean Graham, racing manager for Tony Bloom who owns the horse alongside Ian McAleavy

“I’ll be there at 11am to walk it and if it is lightning fast then there is a chance she won’t run. I’m just hoping because it has been another really hot day then the clerk will put some water on the track tonight.

“As long as there is no jar in the ground then she will be fine, but her targets after this are the Prix Maurice de Gheest in around three weeks’ time, Haydock’s Sprint Cup at the start of September, Ascot on Champions Day and we’re also thinking of the Breeders’ Cup.

“We’ve only another four races in mind for her for the rest of the year and even though it is a hugely important race and one we’re desperate to run in, the filly’s welfare comes first and if we think the ground is too quick then we won’t run her.

“If it’s quick but safe from our point of view we’ll run, but if it walks rock hard then we would have to think twice. Our intention is to run and it’s an absolutely brilliant race we want to be part of, but we have to be up front and honest and the filly will come first.”

Almeraq has shown no ill-effects from the horror fall at York last season which has left jockey Jim Crowley on the sidelines, winning at Salisbury on his return before a maiden Group One strike at the Royal meeting.

Having beaten the best the Far East, Australia and France could throw at him in that truly international contest, he now attempts to provide the Somerville Lodge team with a famous local victory.

Haggas, who also saddles Commonwealth Cup third Division, told Sky Sports Racing: “He did brilliantly to win for a relatively experienced horse to beat those seasoned campaigners.

“It was only a nose and two noses back to Joliestar and it wasn’t a breathtaking victory but I was delighted he won and hopefully he can confirm the form.

“Hopefully the fall is a thing of the past, he looks great and he’s training well.

“We also run Division, you can’t forget him. He was a bit unfortunate at Ascot, he has been draw low both times when it seemed you needed to be high.

“He ran a very good race, a stiff finish should help and he loves top of the ground. I’m not saying the favourite is beatable, but I think the best chance all of us have got of beating her is the quicker ground.”

While Almeraq was successful over six furlongs at Royal Ascot, it was Aidan O’Brien’s Mission Central who scooped Group One honours over five in the King Charles III Stakes on the opening day.

The master of Ballydoyle is now eager to see how he gets on back over an extra furlong as he seeks what would be a record sixth win in the race.

“It will be very interesting to see him back over six,” said O’Brien.

“He ran over six last year, but obviously this year he has been just racing over five furlongs.

“We were very happy with what he did at Ascot and he hit the line strong there so you wouldn’t think it will be a problem. It will be interesting.”

Another Royal Ascot winner in the field is Andrew Balding’s Double Rush who supplemented a pair of victories on the Rowley Mile by winning the Wokingham Stakes and now moves out of the handicap ranks into deep waters.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave and Clive Cox’s Coppull were both not disgraced in their respective outings behind some earlier mentioned winners at the Royal fixture, Mick Appleby’s Big Mojo is out to go one better than his second in this race 12 months ago.

Stuart Williams’ stable stalwart Quinault and Marco Botti’s Prince Of India complete a high-quality field of 11.