Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun took her record to a perfect three from three with a narrow success in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.

A commanding winner on her debut at Carlisle, the daughter of Starman readily doubled her tally with a polished performance in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and stepping up to Group 2 level, she was sent off at prohibited odds to claim the prize under Clifford Lee.

Those that had taken the odds of 2/5 didn't look as they were going to have many anxious moments as she tanked her way to the head of affairs with a furlong left to travel. However, away to the near side, Ed Walker's impressive Thirsk debut winner Royal Fixation began to find her stride.

Royal Fixation continued to close the gap late inside the final furlong, but Venetian Sun ultimately wasn't for passing and showed a willing attitude to prevail by a neck.

Burke said: "This race wasn't part of the plan originally, we just made a decision last week to enter and have a look at the race and if we were happy with the filly and happy with the race then we might take our chance."

Paddy Power reacted by leaving the winner as a 14/1 chance for next year's 1000 Guineas, while the same firm also didn't budge on a price of 7/2 joint favourite for the Lowther Stakes at York next month.

"There's been no issues with the filly, but we haven't trained her for this race – we've been fairly easy on her since Ascot, as you would expect, with the thought that we'd go for the Lowther at York or maybe the Prix Morny," said Burke, who landed the Morny in 2017 with Unfortunately.

"Now she's won a Group 2 that brings the Morny into it more than the Lowther. We won't say we're definitely going to the Morny, but if the ground is a bit easier and it's a race we think we can be very competitive in we could go there and still have time to get her ready for the Moyglare.

"If we're not happy with her for the Morny, we'll go straight to the Moyglare."

The Spigot Lodge-based handler has kept it no secret that he holds this filly in high-regard, and he was once again full of admiration for the daughter of Starman, who followed in the footsteps of Dandalla by completing the Albany/Duchess Of Cambridge double.

"I would say she's another league above Dandalla, who was a very good racehorse, but this filly is a little bit special," said Burke.

"She'd be quicker than Laurens and Fallen Angel. They were high-class, Group One-winning fillies and this filly hasn't done that yet, but she'd be a lot quicker and she's a very straightforward filly with a fantastic mind."

The front-two could be in line to cross swords once again, with Ed Walker, trainer of the runner-up, also nominating the Lowther and Prix Morny as possible targets.

He said: "I'm very proud of her. You come in here off the back of a Thirsk maiden and you don't really know how good you are, but she's very good.

"It would have been disappointing if she had run badly as we rate her very highly among our two-year-olds, but to run that filly (Venetian Sun) as close as we did is pretty exciting because I think she's a very special filly.

"Briefly I thought we might get there. I could just sense from Will's body language that he thought he had a chance.

"I think she was a bit green. She never came off the bridle at Thirsk so today is the first time she's had a proper race. There's lots more to come, I'd say.

"I don't know where we'll go next – I'll have a cold beer and worry about that later. The Lowther has got to be a potential target, while she's also in the Prix Morny."