Venetian Sun justified warm favouritism when fighting off the late charge of outsider Spicy Marg to land her second win at Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup.
Twelve months after lifting the Albany Stakes on the same card, Karl Burke’s three-year-old filly took the running up a furlong from home and held Spicy Marg under Clifford Lee. Michael Bell’s Spicy Marg, a 50-1 shot, was just a head adrift, with Division in third.
Victory for Lee aboard the 11-8 market leader was an emotional one, completing a remarkable return to the top for the rider after suffering a potentially career-ending motorbike accident last year.