01-05-2025
‘Aim up against the boys': Queensland Oaks-bound filly Churchill's Choice to excite in Queensland Guineas
Young Group 1 winning trainer Nathan Doyle has no qualms about taking on the boys with his exciting young filly Churchill's Choice in Saturday's Queensland Guineas.
Newcastle trainer Doyle, who soared into the Group 1 club when sprint weapon Private Harry won The Galaxy, feels Churchill's Choice could arguably be coming to the Sunshine State unbeaten.
The filly has won three from four with her only defeat when she resumed over 1400m in a Group 3 race at Randwick last start, finishing fourth and beaten a length after seeing little clear air.
Churchill's Choice, which gets a two-kilo advantage on her male rivals, is a $5 chance in the Group 2 Guineas and Doyle points out she would have been shorter in Guineas betting had she arrived in Queensland with a picket fence of wins next to her name.
She is already highly rated as a Group 1 Queensland Oaks chance – at $6 in betting – and can zoom into Oaks favouritism with an impressive display over 1600m at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
'I know she is in the Guineas against the boys, but I think she can aim up,' Doyle said.
'She was in restricted room the whole straight last start, she should have been in the finish and Kerrin McEvoy thought the same as me.
'The last few strides she really just dashed at them, she was just winding up.
'If she got a bit of room last start she could be going up to Queensland unbeaten and she would be a lot shorter in the (betting) market than she is.
'I really like the horse, she wants to be a racehorse and she attacks the line.
'She has got a bright future.'
Doyle rates Churchill's Choice every bit as good as stablemate Harlem Queen, the filly which was Group 1 placed last spring and also ran fourth in the VRC Oaks behind rising superstar Treasurethe Moment.
Harlem Queen didn't fire at Eagle Farm last Saturday, failing to flatter when finishing 11th in the Princess Stakes after starting the $2.90 favourite.
But there was an excuse for the flop when it was discovered the filly had sustained a wound on her leg in the race.
Harlem Queen will most likely press on in an Oaks campaign with her next start likely to be in The Roses later this month where she could tangle with Churchill's Choice.
As for Churchill's Choice, Doyle says the filly is giving him every indication the 2200m of next month's Oaks won't pose a problem.
'She shows me she just wants to relax and doesn't over do it in her races and she gets into a nice rhythm,' Doyle said.
'I feel 2200(m) shouldn't be an issue. She is just so unassuming, when you take her to race day she just produces.
'In the Guineas on Saturday, she has a perfect gate (9) to give her a bit of room and let her balance up, I think she will be very competitive.'
