Churchill’s Heavens Gate Captures Valuable Prize

Heavens Gate (2f Churchill – Itqaan, by Danzig) showed her class when justifying favouritism in the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas.

A Curragh maiden winner in May, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly went on to finish third behind stablemate Fairy Godmother in the Group 3 Albany Stakes, before filling the same position in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes. Making all under Ryan Moore on Monday, she was challenged two furlongs from home and ran on well under pressure to score by a length and a quarter.

“She's such a lovely filly,” O’Brien commented. “Ryan has always said she wants to go up to seven so that's what we'll do now. She's very straightforward, kind and relaxed, and she was doing her best work at the end. It's rare to get one so straightforward.”

Owned by Coolmore partners, Heavens Gate holds entries in Group 1 and 2 contests going forward. The daughter of Churchill is the best performer bred by Whisperview Trading out of the mare Itqaan.