Irish trainer's Ken Condon protogee Romanised trained held off all comers including the Aidan O’Brien-trained duo of U S Navy Flag and Gustav Klimt to record an emphatic two and a quarter length success in the colours of Hong Kong owner Robert Ng.
It was a second Classic success at the Curragh for winning jockey Shane Foley who also won the 2016 Irish 1,000 Guineas on Jet Setting.
Condon said; “He’s a horse we always thought a bit of. It is a huge thing to come here and you don’t really think you can win. We thought he’d run well and hoped he would but he worked the best he ever did all spring last Tuesday. We knew we were a long shot but I felt he’d run a big race.”
The Curragh-based trainer, who was formerly based with multiple Classic winning trainer John Oxx, added; “To win a Classic is magic, especially on our own doorstep, is just magic. It’s a very select club and to actually step into that club feels like you are walking through special doors.”
The victory of Romanised was actually Condon’s first winner of the season but a very popular one among the Curragh crowd.
Elsewhere on Irish 2,000 Guineas day there was a very impressive performance from Irish debutant Merchant Navy in the Greenlands Stakes forming part of an Aidan O’Brien four-timer on the dasy.
Moore also won the opening maiden on Just Wonderful and the fillies handicap on Hence but it was jockey Seamie Heffernan who did the steering on Fairyland who saw off the colts in the Irish Marble Hill Stakes to also book her ticket to Royal Ascot.
1st Romanised (K. Condon S. Foley), 2nd U S Navy Flag (A. O'Brien R. Moore), 3rd Gustav Klimt (A. O'Brien D. O'Brien), 4th Threeandfourpence (A. O'Brien S. Heffernan), 5th Symbolization (C. Appleby W. Buick), 6th Elarqam (M. Johnston J. Crowley), 7th Theobald (J. Bolger K. Manning), 8th Zihba (J. Stack C. Hayes, 9th Landshark (M. Harrington C. O'Donoghue),10th Would Be King (G. Lyons C. Keane), 11th Spanish Point (A. O'Brien P. Beggy)
Click Here To Watch Irish 2,000 Guineas won by Romanised
Distance: 1 mile (1,609 metres), Surface: Turf, Track: Right-handed, Qualification: Three-year-old fillies, Weight 9 st 0 lb, Purse: €300,000
Credit: Pallavi Shevade pallavi.shevade@secretaristworld.com