Galileo's Churchill Takes the Chesham

Churchill's grandiose title gave a clue as to his reputation at Ballydoyle and he duly delivered a debut performance full of encouragement when a staying-on third to Godolphin's subsequent acquisition Van Der Decken (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who went on to run fifth in Tuesday's G2 Coventry S. here, over what is probably an inadequate six-furlong trip at The Curragh May 22. Heavily-supported for this unique contest restricted to progeny of sires who won over 10 furlongs or more, the imposing bay made sure the favourite-backers received their pay-out despite giving them a scare in the latter stages. Settled behind the leader Frankuus (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) early, he was committed on the front end by Ryan Moore with just over 1 1/2 furlongs to race. Veering steadily left shortly after, the son of this meeting's G2 Queen Mary S. runner-up Meow gave the straight-running Isomer a chance but was always holding on despite his wayward path as Cunco gave Frankel a second Royal Ascot placing after Queen Kindly (GB) in the G3 Albany S. 24 hours earlier. “They went slow early, but he's a big, strong, powerful horse and when he gets a good pace on fast ground he'll improve more,” his rider said. “He's an exciting horse, but it's early days.” Aidan O'Brien, who was greeting his sixth winner of the week, added, “He's only had one easy run at The Curragh, so he's still a baby and he would have learnt a lot today. He's a lovely horse and when he learns he's going to be a smasher.” Isomer's trainer Andrew Balding said of the runner-up, “He's improved from his first run, so we're very happy. The winner is probably very good and he hung to the left a little bit, so we may have been a bit flattered by our proximity to him. We want further and he'll be all right.” Cunco's trainer John Gosden was delighted with the performance of the third, who was a handful heading down to the start and raced under restraint as a result. “It looks like he wants a mile now,” he said. “He's run great and we've probably done too good a job settling him. I liked the way he finished it out and he just likes to run. We might be better letting him use his stride. We came here to Royal Ascot and we're on the road.” Churchill is a grandson of the high-class sprinter Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}), a multiple highweight who landed the G1 Cheveley Park S., G2 Ridgewood Pearl S. and G2 Temple S. and was also second in this meeting's G1 Golden Jubilee S. and third in the G1 July Cup. Her own record with matings by Galileo reads well, with two black-type performers headed by the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies' S. winner Aloof (Ire). Airwave's half-sister Jwala (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) caused an upset when winning the G1 Nunthorpe S., just adding further sprinting lustre to this fast family. Not surprisingly, Meow also has a Galileo to come, an as-yet unnnamed yearling filly.

CHESHAM S.-Listed, £80,000, ASC, 6-18, 2yo, 7fT, 1:29.57, g/s.
1–#CHURCHILL (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Meow (Ire) (SW-Ire & GSP-Eng), by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Airwave (GB), by Air Express (Ire)
3rd Dam: Kangra Valley (GB), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Liberty Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $66,912.[bullet ad=”itm-g2-g3″]2–Isomer, 129, c, 2, Cape Blanco (Ire)–Nimue, by Speightstown. ($52,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEEJAN). O-Mrs Fitri Hay. £17,200.[bullet ad=”summerfieldsales-sold”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]3–Cunco (Ire), 129, c, 2, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–Chrysanthemum (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (280,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O-Don Alberto Stable. £8,608.
Margins: HF, 1, HF. Odds: 0.70, 25.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Mr Scaramanga (GB), Frankuus (Ire), Thora Barber (GB), Aiming for Rio (Fr), Admiralty Arch (GB), Eldorado Creek (Ire), Justice Frederick (Ire), Magillen (Ire), Masham Star (Ire), Filudo (Fr). Scratched: Devil's Bridge (Ire), Walter Raleigh (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.