Churchill grabs the lead in the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Churchill brought up his hat-trick when picking up well to win going away in the Group Two Futurity Stakes.
This was a further step up in class for the Galileo colt who landed the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot before delivering in the Group Three Tyros Stakes in Leopardstown.
He was sent off at 1/4 to account for his three rivals in this 130,000 euro contest over seven furlongs. Arcada soon led as Lancaster Bomber tracked him in second with Churchill in third under Seamie Heffernan.
The red-hot favourite improved to second over two furlongs out and was driven to head Arcada inside the final furlong.
He was soon ridden as Radio Silence (5/1) closed on his outer and the jolly ran on well to open up a gap of two lengths on the pursuer at the line.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “I'm delighted with him. He's lovely and lazy and just quickens. Seamus was very happy with him.
“He's very lazy and doesn't do an awful lot in front. It was the same at Ascot and Leopardstown. He's a big sleepy fellow.
“He'll come back here for the National Stakes and there's no doubt he'll be better on better ground.
“Hopefully he'll get further than a mile but he's not slow this horse. I'd definitely say he's a Guineas type of horse.
“Maybe he will get a mile-and-a-half but he doesn't go like a mile-and-a-half horse in his work. He has plenty of boot and is a big powerful horse.”
This was Churchill's third win over seven furlongs. His only defeat in four outings came on debut here when third in a six furlong maiden in May.
Churchill was left unchanged at 8/1 for the 2,000 Guineas by Paddy Power.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
