Tony Bloom scores big on the racetrack as Brighton struggle on the football pitch

It wasn’t only doom and gloom for Tony Bloom when his Brighton team were humbled by Everton in the Premier League on Sunday. His racing team scored big on the racetrack when Venetian Sun won one of Europe’s most important two-year-old races in France, and there was another Group winner in Ireland.

His Brighton players were not at the races as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat on a victorious start for Everton in their first match at the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

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As a racehorse owner Bloom has enjoyed a host of big race success over jumps, including at the Cheltenham Festival, as well as on the Flat.

At the end of 2023 he teamed up with business partner Ian McAleavy to establish a string equipped to compete in racing’s premier league.

Together they enjoyed international success with Lazzat who scooped £2.8 million for landing the Golden Eagle in Sydney, Australia and celebrated at Royal Ascot in June with Venetian Sun.

On Sunday that filly became the new 6-1 favourite for next year’s 1,000 Guineas with Coral when she took her unbeaten run to four in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville. Only 35 minutes later Sky Majesty added a Group 3 prize when scoring at Naas in Ireland.

Venetian Sun beat one of Aidan O’Brien’s top youngsters when holding the Royal Ascot winner by a short neck with Godolphin’s Wise Approach in third. The winner, trained by Karl Burke, became jockey Clifford Lee’s first success at the highest level.

Burke said: “I was very worried about the ground earlier on. It was as quick as I’ve walked it here. So that dampened my confidence and she would be better over further as well. She will head for the Moyglare Stud Stakes now.

“The Moyglare will tell us if she is a Classic filly. She has to prove that but I am convinced she will.”

He continued: “She’s got a temperament to die for. I’ve been lucky enough to have some good fillies like Laurens and Fallen Angel but at this stage of her career she’d be way ahead of them.

“With her temperament - Laurens and Fallen Angel would be like your mother-in-law - she’d be more like your girlfriend.”

Bloom and McAleavy paid £252,000 to buy Venetian Sun who has now won £314,000.

“It’s fantastic for Tony Bloom,” said Burke. “We are being supported by a number of big owners now and it’s great to repay them.”