Horse Racing
Venetian Power adds to Joseph O’Brien’s riches
Joseph O’Brien looks to have another smart performer on his hands as Venetian Power took a big step forward from his debut to win the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race at Killarney.
In previous years the contest has been won by subsequent Group One winners Luxembourg and Lambourn and last year it went to Eclipse runner-up A Boy Named Susie.
Aidan O’Brien’s Chesham fourth South Dakota was sent off an odds-on favourite but he never looked happy at any stage finishing third as Dylan Browne McMonagle’s mount wore down Full Volume to win by half a length at 9-2.
By winning he paid a handsome compliment to Giant Sequoia, who beat him by six lengths on debut.
Stable representative Michael Halford said of the winner: “He stepped forward well from the first day. We thought he would, his homework suggested that but it’s nice to see it here as well.
“He’s a lovely straightforward horse. The race worked out super for him, he got a lovely tow into it and Dylan just came with one run to win rather than getting into a battle with him.
“He looks like a horse with a future and should be able to progress again.
“The majority of the two-year-olds are taking a run so once they get a run under their belt they just progress at home naturally then.
“It’s not really until you get to the track that you see how much they’ve actually progressed.
“That was a lovely race for him, uncomplicated and it went lovely for him.”
Venetian Power holds entries in the valuable Ballyhane Stakes at Naas on August 3 and two Group Ones on Irish Champions Weekend.
