Royal Ascot 2026: Precise, Venetian Sun land Group 1 wins at short prices
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Venetian Sun won the Commonwealth Cup at a short price and Precise the Coronation Stakes at an even shorter one in Group 1 racing Friday at Royal Ascot.
Venetian Sun a furlong out appeared to be on the way to a comfortable score in the Commonwealth, a six-furlong straight course dash for 3-year-olds, but her move deflated in the late stages and Venetian Sun was all out to hang on by a head over Spicy Marg, who went off at 59-1 on the American tote. Division, who also appeared a plausible winner as
Venetian Sun began to struggle, checked in third, a half-length behind Spicy Marg.
The American colt Outfielder, trained by Wesley Ward, finished 10th of 21.
Venetian Sun won the Group 1 Prix Morny last summer in France and raced brilliantly at Haydock Park in her prep for the Commonwealth, but her trainer, Karl Burke, said softer going at Haydock played more to Venetian Sun’s strength than far firmer footing Friday. Still, the favorite, who paid $4.50 to win, got the job done, running her record to six wins from eight starts. Cliff Lee rode Venetian Sun, a daughter of Starman and Johara, by Ifraaj. The filly doesn’t stay a mile, so expect to see her sprinting through the summer and fall.
Ryan Moore rode Precise like easily the best horse in the Coronation, trading ground loss with a three-wide uncovered trip around the turn in exchange for clear passage, and Moore, as usual, got it right.
Precise raced midpack around the bend before asserting in upper stretch, going several lengths clear before appearing to idle, but finding enough through the final furlong to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Her win margin would have been smaller – perhaps even nonexistent – had runner-up Touleen gotten a better trip.
Jockey Saffie Osbourne attempted to maneuver his mount outside and between horses with a quarter-mile to run, but Wayne Lordan, riding Precise’s Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate True Love, slammed the door on him, forcing Touleen back inside. There, she found passage blocked by a wall of horses – traffic made worse when True Love moved in a path or so, tightening things up on those inside her, including Touleen – and when finally clear and leveled off, Touleen finished fastest, too late to threaten the winner, a neck better than True Love.
Precise ($3.10) added this Group 1 score to her Fillies Mile last year and here Irish 1000 Guineas last month. By Starspangledbanner out of Way To My Heart, by Galileo, Precise is being priced up by British bookmakers for the one-mile Falmouth Stakes on July 10 at Newmarket, where she’d meet older fillies and mares for the first time.
* Bacio, trained by Ward, won Friday's finale, the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap. Sandal's Song, who was third in the Norfolk Stakes last year, finished second for trainer George Weaver.
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