Wonderful Winter finds it a breeze to wrap up Classic double

The Ballydoyle juggernaut, fresh from nailing a 2,000 Guineas double on Saturday, repeated the trick when Winter scored in spectacular fashion in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas, with Aidan O'Brien saddling the first three home for good measure.

Winter confirmed herself a genuine star filly under Ryan Moore with a four-and-three-quarter-length victory over stablemates Roly Poly and Hydrangea.

The daughter of Galileo – Coolmore's star stallion has sired the winner of all four Classics in Britain and Ireland this year – became only the third filly, following Attraction and Finsceal Beo, to achieve the Newmarket-Curragh 1,000 Guineas double.

In doing so she succeeded where other Ballydoyle leading ladies Virginia Waters, Homecoming Queen and Minding had failed, all three of those Newmarket Guineas winners having been chinned at the Curragh.

O'Brien, who was winning the fillies' Classic for the seventh time, said: "You'd have to be delighted with that performance. She progressed nicely from her trial run at Leopardstown to win at Newmarket and she's come forward well since the English Guineas.

"She's maturing all the time and is a really strong traveller. When Ryan let her down today she went into overdrive. She'll probably get further than a mile but the Coronation Stakes will be next, once her owners agree.

"All going well we'll have plenty of options. Do we stick to a mile and go for the Falmouth or wait and step her up in distance in the Nassau? All those decisions are ahead of us."

Moore rode with his sleeves rolled up but it was anything but hard work for him as Winter trounced her rivals.

He said: "It was very easy and she gave me a lovely ride. I couldn't have been more impressed with her – she was relentless and it rode like a piece of work for her. She's a very good filly.

"She's stepped forward from each of her runs and there's no reason why she won't keep on progressing."

Unstoppable: Aidan O'Brien and Ryan MooreCredit: Patrick McCann

O'Brien has now done the Irish 2,000 Guineas-1,000 Guineas double on five occasions. Classic Park, his first Classic winner 20 years ago, and Desert King did the double in 1997, while he repeated the feat with Black Minnaloushe and Imagine in 2001, Henrythenavigator and Halfway To Heaven in 2008, and Roderic O'Connor and Misty For Me in 2011. This was his 70th Classic winner in all.

Hydrangea ensured there was an honest gallop throughout and she did well to keep on for third in a bunched finish for the placings, but there was never any doubt about the outcome in the final half-mile.

Moore barely had to get down into the drive position as Winter cruised into contention, hit the front two furlongs out and bounded clear under hands and heels.

Roly Poly stayed on from an unpromising position to take second, a head in front of Hydrangea and a further nose ahead of Intricately, trained by O'Brien's son Joseph.

There was an 11-length gap back to Rehana in fifth but that filly was relegated to sixth following a stewards' inquiry into an incident after about two furlongs involving Pat Smullen's mount, Hydrangea and Bean Feasa, who was promoted to fifth.

Smullen, who picked up a one-day careless riding ban, said of Rehana: "She was very keen and probably needs dropping back in trip."

Result and analysis