Royal Ascot victory for Starman as Venetian Sun shines in the Albany Stakes

Tally-Ho Stud's Starman continued his ascent as a young sire of note when another of his daughters, Venetian Sun, made it two from two in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Bred by Tally-Ho, Venetian Sun was a 240,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase by Todd Investments last October and has proven her worth from her short career. Trained by Karl Burke for Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, the filly won on her debut at Carlisle by a length and a half last month before following up by the same margin at Ascot. 

Starman is now responsible for two individual Group 3 winners, the other being the exciting Lady Iman who defeated Wednesday's Queen Mary Stakes scorer True Love in the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh last month. Lady Iman, another bred by Tally-Ho, has won all three of her starts for Ger Lyons. 

Venetian Sun was bred by Tally-Ho Stud out of the Iffraaj mare Johara, a multiple winner who was twice placed at Listed level. The mare had been bought by Tally-Ho as a foal from Milltown House Stud for €35,000 at Goffs in 2011 before being sold on to Chris Wall at Tattersalls Book 1 the following year for 22,000gns. 

She was trained by Wall to win a maiden and two handicaps before transferring to Henri Devin's yard in France to win a Chantilly conditions contest. 

Connections celebrate after Venetian Sun's Albany Stakes successCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Johara has produced another able performer by a Tally-Ho resident, this time the Mehmas-sired Sir Yoshi, a winner for David Marnane who was third in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York last year. Johara has a yearling filly by Tally-Ho stalwart Kodiac and produced a filly foal by another resident in Cotai Glory. 

McAleavy said: "Karl did say Venetian Sun was the best two-year-old filly he has had, so he did give us a lot of confidence. We were happy to back her and great credit to everyone at the yard, and credit to Cliff. I don't think everything went for her, as she had a tough draw, and she didn't have much cover."

Mehmas's Awaken completed a one-two for Tally-Ho sires after improving from her Yarmouth debut second just over a month ago. Highclere's filly was bred by Epona Bloodstock out of the winning Oasis Dream mare Circulation, a Juddmonte-bred half-sister to Juddmonte International hero Twice Over. Awaken had sold to Highclere for 160,000gns from Croom House Stud at Tattersalls Book 2. 

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