Minding has Champion option

Minding could take on the colts in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday week.

The daughter of Galileo won the Qipco 1000 Guineason her first start this season before going on to win the Investec Oaks, the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Nassau Stakes to cement her position as the best three-year-old filly in training.

Although she holds and entry in the Coolmore Matron Stakes, O'Brien is leaning towards running her against colts and older horses for the first time in the Champion Stakes on the same card.

"She'll run in either the Matron or the Champion Stakes. The lads (owners) will make the decision closer the time, but it's very possible she'll go to the Champion Stakes," O'Brien told At The Races.

"We're very happy with her. She's had a nice bit of time since her last run.

"Her work is very good and physically she's doing very well."

Meanwhile, O'Brien has nominating the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes as the target for Churchill.

The two-year-old won the Tyros Stakes and the Futurity Stakes on his last two starts and he will bid to add a Group One to his record when he lines up in the feature event on day two of Champions Weekend.

"We're looking forward to the National Stakes with him. We think it will suit him well and physically he's doing very well," O'Brien confirmed.

"We've thought he would be a Guineas horse. He's a horse with a lot of speed. He's a big powerful individual. He's built like a big miler so I'm not sure how much more he'll stay.

"We think he might get the mile and a quarter but you wouldn't be sure about the mile and a half. We're very happy with him."

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