Heavens Gate won the first race on Irish 1,000 Guineas Day at the Curragh, earning her a spot on Aidan O'Brien's Royal Ascot team.
After finishing second in her racecourse debut at Navan three weeks before, Churchill's filly was favoured 2-1 to win the Trainor Stone and Tile Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.
After riding steadily the entire way and picking up some pace, Ryan Moore's horse pulled ahead of stablemate January by two and a half lengths. Based on this encouraging first effort, January also appears to be a winner in waiting.
O’Brien said: “We think she’s an Albany filly. She came forward from Navan, which Ryan thought she would. She’s a good, smart filly. She’s a powerful filly. Her dam is 22 and hadn’t bred a good one until now. Churchill is obviously a decent stallion.”
Trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Declan McDonogh won the QuinnBet Spring Fillies Handicap with Zaynab, who made a late charge.
Last month, she had won by a short head at the track. This time, the 17-2 shot had a strong finish, winning by a head against the 9-2 favourite Flight Of Fancy.
“She’s a nice filly and is progressing well. Obviously, we bought her because she is a half-sister to Zanahiyr,” said Elliott’s representative Aidan ‘Mouse’ O’Ryan. “She’s coming along steady, is tough and put her head down when needed today. We stepped her up in class to see where we were really. We bought her as a yearling to be a juvenile hurdler, but we might have to redirect her now – we’ll probably have a look at the Sandringham now in Royal Ascot.”