The recent form makes for interesting reading. Looking at the last six runs — finishing 6th, 2nd, 7th, 4th, 3rd, 3rd from earliest to most recent — there is a wobble in the middle, where Venetian Star slipped back into mid-pack finishes, before rallying to post consecutive thirds. That upturn in form will be encouraging for Patrick T Foley's yard in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, particularly given the horse raced just one day ago and is clearly being kept busy. Foley has had 12 winners on the board this season, so this is a yard in decent nick.
The partnership with jockey Ben Coen is the one number worth scrutinising. The pair have teamed up six times together without winning — 0 from 6 — and yet they keep coming back to each other, which suggests the team believes the combination still has something to offer. Sometimes a jockey-horse partnership takes time to click, and given Venetian Star's placed efforts, the feeling of a win being close will not be entirely misplaced. Whether Coen is the one in the saddle when it finally happens remains to be seen, but patience appears to be the watchword for everyone involved.
Venetian Star is the kind of horse that keeps its the yard — the trainer, the yard, the owners — coming back to the track. It is consistent enough to hint at ability, frustrating enough to keep you guessing. At three, there is still time, and the recent return to form gives genuine reason to think the first winner's photo might not be too far away.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Curragh Galloping |
3 | 3 other | 19 Apr | 0% |
| Down Royal Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 5 Sep | 0% |
| Navan Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 17 May | 0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 28 May | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 3 May | 0% |