That single win was no ordinary one. On 16 August 2025, Venetian Prince won a Class 2 race at Newbury — one of the better races in Britain — which is a significant statement for a young horse. Class 2 races sit just below the elite tier, and winning one as a three-year-old against more experienced rivals says something real about his ability. His most common level of competition has actually been Class 3, where he has run three times without winning, which makes the step up to Class 2 and the victory there all the more interesting. Sometimes horses simply find their level when the occasion demands more of them.
His recent form reads 10-4-–-2-1-6, meaning he finished tenth most recently, but before that he was running into the places — a second and a fourth — which suggests he is competitive when things fall right, even if consistency is still a work in progress. He raced just one day ago, so he is clearly in active campaigning and his trainer is keeping him busy.
That trainer is Andrew Balding, based at Kingsclere in Hampshire, one of British racing's most productive yards. With 202 winners already this season, Balding's operation is firing on all cylinders, and a horse carrying a Class 2 win from Newbury is exactly the type to be kept in training and pointed at more good opportunities. For a three-year-old with only six races under his belt, Venetian Prince is still very much a horse with chapters left to write.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newmarket Galloping |
3 | 3 other | 2 May | 0% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 | 1 win | 16 Aug | 100% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 25 Feb | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 17 Jan | 0% |