Venetian Power

That win came at Killarney on 15 July 2026, just days ago, so this is a horse whose story is very much being written in real time. Killarney is a sharp, tight track set against a beautiful backdrop in County Kerry, and winning there as a two-year-old requires both ability and a certain alertness — it is not a course that flatters passengers. The fact that Venetian Power got the job done there, and so early in its career, is an encouraging sign.

Behind the horse is one of the most formidable operations in Irish racing. Trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien, based at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, has sent out 160 winners already this season. To put that in perspective, most trainers would consider 160 winners a fine career total — O'Brien's yard is producing them in a single campaign. When a horse like Venetian Power comes through that environment and wins on just its second start, it is reasonable to assume it has been given every possible advantage.

Two races is too small a sample to draw grand conclusions, but the early evidence is promising. A win rate of 50 percent — one win from every two races — is the kind of number that grabs attention, even if it needs more runs behind it to mean anything lasting. What matters right now is that Venetian Power is active, improving, and in the hands of people who know exactly what they are doing. Worth watching closely as the season continues.