Churchill claims Irish 2000 Guineas

Deteriorating conditions could not stop Churchill adding the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh to his Classic success at Newmarket.

It was not completely plain sailing in the rain-softened ground, but his class shone through in the closing stages as the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt powered 2-1/2 lengths clear in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Moore, a man of few words, was unusually ebullient in his post-race assessment.

“I think he’s a very talented horse. He does everything you want him to do as a jockey and he ticks all the boxes,” “Moore said.

“When you sit on him, there’s a lot of power underneath you and he never misses a beat.

“I think he’s a very special horse.”

It was O’Brien’s 11th win in the race and he has now trained seven of the past 10 winners of the first Classic of the Irish season.

“He’s a great horse and we’re delighted with him,” O’Brien said.

“He sleeps, he relaxes and he quickens. He’s a very exciting horse.

“Coming here we were thinking we’d go from here to Ascot and he’ll probably go for the St James’s Palace Stakes.

“He’d have no problem stepping up to 10 furlongs (2000m) later in the year. He’s so relaxed and chilled.”