Churchill Completes Rare Guineas Double

In terms of European races, the Irish version of the Guineas (both 2,000 and 1,000) is a new kid on the classic block. The English version dates back to 1809, and in the 96 runnings since both have been viable, only eight 3-year-olds have won both the English 2,000 Guineas and the Irish 2,000 Guineas. On May 27 Coolmore-owned/Ballydoyle-trained Churchill relished the yielding turf—as is the wont of offspring of Galileo—and became number nine. 

Oozing class, the bay faced five challengers over the Curragh's mile distance in the Tattersalls 2,000 Guineas (G1). With jockey Ryan Moore sporting the orange-and-blue silks of Michael Tabor, who owns the colt with Susan Magnier and Derrick Smith, Churchill was making his first start since his one-length victory May 6 at Newmarket. 

Joining the Aidan O'Brien-trained Churchill from the English 2,000 Guineas were Ballydoyle's Kentucky-bred sons of War Front  , Lancaster Bomber and Spirit of Valor, who finished fourth and eighth over the Rowley Mile.

Newcomers included Godolphin's group 2 winner Thunder Snow, fresh off his bad-boy antics in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), where he bucked and propped his way to a non-finish at Churchill Downs. Irishcorrespondent, a son of Teofilo, entered off a same course/same distance win May 14, while Glastonbury Song (Casamento) brought a pair of victories over the all-weather surface at Dundalk.

With all starters exiting the stalls on an even keel, Lancaster Bomber and jockey Colin Keane controlled the pace through the first four furlongs before he was encouraged as the field entered the second half of the race. Over from France for the ride, Christophe Soumillon had Thunder Snow well-positioned on the rail in second, along with Spirit of Valor and Glastonbury Song. Churchill was content in fifth, and Irishcorrespondent idled in the back.

Thunder Snow took the lead with two furlongs left to run, but Churchill progressed from fifth on the outer edge of the pack and soon passed the Godolphin color-bearer about a furlong from the finish. Thunder Snow regrouped but could make no impression on the momentum gathered by Churchill, who crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Thunder Snow in 1:40.46. Irishcorrespondent closed well to finish third, another 4 1/2 lengths behind Thunder Snow.

Liberty Bloodstock bred the Guineas winner in Ireland out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Meow, a half sister to group 3 winner Aloof (Galileo) and to stakes winner Orator (Galileo). His second dam is Airwave (Air Express), winner of the Betfair Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) and a topweighted filly in England in 2002-03.

Churchill's victory was the 11th Irish 2,000 Guineas for O'Brien, who has had a stranglehold on the race since he landed his first with Desert King in 1997. The trainer ratcheted his viselike grip on the English/Irish classics yet another cog, scoring his third successive in 2017. He could extend that, as he has four of the eight fillies entered in the May 28 Irish 1,000 Guineas on the Curragh card. They include Qipco 1,000 Guineas (G1) winner Winter (Galileo).

Right Tack in 1969 was the first dual winner of the English/Irish Guineas. He was followed by Don't Forget Me (1987), Tirol (1990), Rodrigo de Triano (1992), Rock of Gibraltar (2002), Cockney Rebel (2007), Henrythenavigator (2008), Gleneagles (2015), and Churchill.