Magna Grecia has stats in his favour in bid to join elite double Guineas winners

Magna Grecia is on course for a prestigious Guineas double at the Curragh on Saturday – at least if recent history is anything to go by.

Five of the seven horses who have tried to follow up victory in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket have been successful in the Irish equivalent this century. And in a further pointer towards the strength of Magna Grecia's chances, four of them were trained by Aidan O'Brien, who saddles the favourite for Saturday's Classic.

O'Brien has been successful on four of his five attempts to do the double this century. After aiming his first 2,000 Guineas winner, King Of Kings, at the Derby, O’Brien sent his second, Rock Of Gibraltar, to the Curragh in 2002.

The son of Danehill became the first horse since Rodrigo De Triano in 1992 to land the double when he beat Century City. O'Brien next attempted the feat in 2006 with George Washington who, after getting the better of Sir Percy at Newmarket, came within two lengths of winning both Classics when beaten into second by Araafa.

Cockney Rebel went one better the following year for trainer Geoff Huffer, winning at odds of 25-1 at Newmarket before claiming the Irish 2,000 Guineas under Olivier Peslier.

Not to be outdone, O’Brien bounced back in 2008 with Henrythenavigator, who beat subsequent Derby winner New Approach at Newmarket and the Curragh. He also achieved the double in 2015 with Gleneagles, who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas as at 2-5 and went on to win the St James’s Palace.

Hugo Palmer used the tried-and-tested route in 2016 with Galileo Gold, who could only manage second to Awtaad in Ireland, but O'Brien managed it again with Churchill the following year.

Sent off an odds-on, the son of Galileo ran out a comfortable winner at the Curragh, where he beat Thunder Snow by two and a half lengths.

Record of 2,000 Guineas winners in Irish 2,000 this century

2002 Rock Of GibraltarWON
2006 George Washington2nd
2007 Cockney RebelWON
2008 HenrythenavigatorWON
2015 GleneaglesWON
2016 Galileo Gold2nd
2017ChurchillWON

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