Aidan O'Brien's Irish Champion Stakes Record Churchill, a brilliant winner of this year's 2000 Guineas either side of the Irish Sea, looks set to go off a warm order for the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. His trainer Aidan O'Brien claimed his first Irish Champion victory with Giant's Causeway back in 2000 and few could have predicted the unprecedented success the County Wexford handler would go on to enjoy over the next 17 years. Six more renewals have gone to the 16-time champion trainer, but although he may hold the record for the most winners of the race, O'Brien has not always had things his own way in the 10-furlong showpiece. Coolmore have often thrown their best horses into the ring, and some of the biggest names in racing feature among those to have triumphed. But be warned, the long odds-on shots have not always done the business. HITS: Giant's Causeway (2000) It was the 'Iron Horse' who gave O'Brien his first Irish Champion win at odds of 8-11, recording his fifth consecutive success at the highest level in the process. High Chaparral (2003) A three-year wait followed his first victory and it was the imperious High Chaparral who provided O'Brien with his second. The dual Derby winner fended off the late challenge of Luca Cumani's Falbrav, who endured a luckless passage, to score by a neck. Oratorio (2005) It was the turn of Oratorio in 2005. The son of Danehill denied the emphatic Epsom Derby winner Motivator by half a length, just as he had done when landing the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown two months earlier. Oratorio's Leopardstown triumph kick-started three years of Ballydoyle dominance, with future Arc winner Dylan Thomas taking the next two runnings. Cape Blanco (2010) Another three-year wait for glory followed before Seamie Heffernan stole a march on the field aboard Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco to finish five and a half lengths in front of his more fancied stablemate Rip Van Winkle. So You Think (2011) Heffernan was aboard the winner again 12 months on as So You Think obliged at odds of 1-4, beating the brilliant mare Snow Fairy, who subsequently went on to win the 2012 renewal. MISSES: Galileo (2001) Just a year on from Giant's Causeway's victory, most will remember the mighty Galileo, now an unparalleled sire of a host of champions, tasting defeat for the first time in his illustrious career when going down all guns blazing to Godolphin's Fantastic Light. Hawk Wing (2002) A similar pattern emerged 12 months later as another Ballydoyle hotpot, Hawk Wing, lost out by a whisker to the Godolphin-owned Grandera at odds of 8-11. A sweet two years for the boys in blue. Australia (2014) Many fingers were burnt when Australia, a dual Derby winner and supposedly a good thing at 30-100, was collared by The Grey Gatsby.
