13.15 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, f, 7fT
EVERLASTING (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is one of a trio from Ballydoyle and as the only newcomer with Ryan Moore on board the clues as to her ability are already writ large. A half-sister to this year's G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}), daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Could It Be Love (War Front) and relative of Uncle Mo, she encounters a well-regarded Paddy Twomey trainee in Porters Place (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) from the family of Youmzain (Ire) and some experienced peers including Juddmonte's Cork runner-up Wendla (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), a Ger Lyons-trained daughter of Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill).

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O'Brien had a surprising admission about the colt who had pushed Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) so hard in the Curragh Classic. “We always thought he was kind of like Duke Of Marmalade, as he's after competing in big ones and getting very close in them but he's such a big horse that he's definitely going to have to be a way better horse next year,” he said. “He's after having a few tough races in second so it was nice for him to come here and Ryan was able to dictate his own pace on him. He said he did quicken very well, but just got a bit lonely in the last half a furlong.”

Adelaide River has run a number of fine races in defeat this season & the Irish Derby runner-up proves too strong in the G3 @paddypower Stakes!

A treble on the day for Aidan O'Brien & Ryan Moore #ItAllComesDownToThis pic.twitter.com/dpawowgHpi

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 9, 2023

Pedigree Notes

Adelaide River, who had also been third in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and second in the G2 Beresford S. as a 2-year-old, is the first foal out of Could It Be Love (War Front) who was second in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and a clutch of lesser black-type contests. A half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Champagne S.-winning champion and leading sire Uncle Mo, her unraced 2-year-old filly Everlasting (Ire) is by Kingman (GB), while she also has a yearling by the same sire due to sell on Monday at the Keeneland September Sale. She was bred to Gun Runner for 2024.

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
PADDY POWER S. (KILTERNAN S.)-G3, €100,000, Leopardstown, 9-9, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:31.05, gd.
1–ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE), 127, c, 3, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Could It Be Love (G1SP-Ire & GSP-Eng, $163,827), by War Front
2nd Dam: Playa Maya, by Arch
3rd Dam: Dixie Slippers, by Dixieland Band
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €60,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire & GSP-Eng, 9-2-5-1, $584,982. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Al Aasy (Ire), 138, g, 6, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Kitcara (GB), by Shamardal. (300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-William Haggas. €20,000.
3–Layfayette (Ire), 138, g, 6, French Navy (GB)–Scala Romana (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (€4,000 Ylg '18 TIRSEP; €54,000 2yo '19 TATGOR). O-Mrs Patricia Hunt; B-Matthew Duffy (IRE); T-Noel Meade. €10,000.
Margins: HF, HF, HF. Odds: 1.38, 2.25, 25.00.
Also Ran: White Birch (GB), Valiant King (GB), Mashhoor (GB), Young Ireland (Ire).

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Riding a two-race winning streak after taking Epsom's Blue Riband last month and the Irish equivalent for the Coolmore partners, Auguste Rodin beat stable-mate Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the latter. He will aim to emulate former Coolmore kingpin Galileo (Ire) with a victory in the King George after winning two Derbys.

“He's on that programme, and so far, everything is going well [for the King George],” O'Brien told the Nick Luck Daily podcast on Wednesday,

The aforementioned Adelaide River enters off another strong second-place effort in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on June 14. He is joined by Group 1-winning older horses Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), and Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while the G2 Huxley S. hero and Group 1-placed Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) is another possible runner.

“Luxembourg is a very strong possible at the moment,” O'Brien continued. “Point Lonsdale is a strong possible at the moment. Broome, like I said, he could go [for the King George], and probably will go to Goodwood for the two miles [G1 Goodwood Cup S. on Aug. 1]. Bolshoi Ballet is a very strong possible. And then, obviously, Auguste Rodin and Adelaide River, we'd have to see how he [Adelaide River] came out of the race [G1 Grand Prix de Paris] and give him a little bit of time to see before we make any decision about him.”

O'Brien also provided an update on likely G1 Sussex S. runner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who will potentially represent the Coolmore partners in the G1 Cox Plate in the autumn.

He said, “Everything went well since [the Eclipse], and is at the moment. He's on that plan and that programme [for the Sussex] at the moment.”

The Coolmore partners also have five of the nine fillies currently entered in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. G3 Cheshire Oaks heroine and G1 Oaks runner-up Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G2 Ribblesdale S. victress Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Be Happy (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) were pleasing the Rosegreen handler particularly. He also has listed winner Library (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and winner Lambada (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) signed on.

“I suppose, we have three very strong fillies in there,” O'Brien added. “Obviously, the filly [Savethelastdance] from Chester we think is very well. This has always been her programme. And then the filly [Warm Heart] who won at Ascot. We weren't sure that stepping up the a mile and a half would suit her, but it obviously improved her.

“Another filly called Be Happy which we have always thought a lot of, [is in the race]. She was withdrawn at the last minute from the Oaks and we had her ready to run again, and she got an infection in her foot. The last three weeks everything has been very good with her. The plan is that is where she is going now at the moment, as well.”

Pair Of Contenders Pleasing Connections In Latest King George Works

Saeed Suhail's 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) also remains in contention for the Ascot showpiece. Off for over a year with an ankle injury, the 4-year-old ran second in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Sandown earlier this season. Another minor setback kept the Sir Michael Stoute trainee out of Royal Ascot and a run in the G1 Prince of Wales's S., but he pleased his connections in a work at Newmarket on Wednesday morning.

Suhail's racing manager, Bruce Raymond, said, “He worked this morning and Ryan [Moore] rode him. Michael was very pleased with him and I think there is a good chance he will go to Ascot.

“He worked nicely. It was a pleasing gallop. I can't say he is certain for the race, but everyone was very happy with him. There's a good chance he will go to Ascot.”

Already a winner of the King George in 2022, two-time Group 1 scorer Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) also remains among the entries. He decisively won the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot in June for co-trainers William Muir and Chris Grassick in the colours of the La Pyle Partnership.

“He just did want we wanted and we were delighted with him,” said Muir of the 6-year-old's Newbury gallop.

“It was not a serious, hard gallop, it was just a day out really. He goes to Newbury, has a warm-up little canter and then covers the distance, that's all. He did great. We're keeping our fingers crossed and we're in good shape. Fingers crossed we'll be there at Ascot.”

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It was not until the turn into the straight that the eventual winner truly engaged and while he had all rivals still to pass there, he was in their range and ready to fire his bullets. Ryan Moore committed first on the Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) with the 8-5 favourite Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) chasing hard, but it was Feed The Flame who was finishing with the biggest rattle on the outside. Looking as if he had jumped in 100 metres from the finish, the 13-5 second favourite was in domineering mood as he registered a length verdict over Adelaide River, with the Oaks heroine Soul Sister a neck away in third.

“He's a great horse,” Bary said. “The Prix du Jockey Club came a little soon for him and 2400 metres is his true distance. He broke slow, but he needs time to warm up and he has terrific acceleration. I won this race for Juddmonte with Zambezi Sun and both horses had exactly the same career up to this, winning the same first two races and then finishing fourth in the Jockey Club, so history can repeat itself sometimes. We will give him a break now and wait for September and the [G2] Prix Niel and then the Arc.”

Feed The Flame strikes late to win the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at @paris_longchamp! pic.twitter.com/Q2GHNkxA3V

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 14, 2023

So demonstrative when successful by 5 1/2 lengths over 10 1/2 furlongs on the opening card of ParisLongchamp's 2023 season, Feed The Flame beat the subsequent G3 Prix Hocquart winner First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and fellow TDN Rising Star Silver Crack (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}) next time over another 55 yards in this venue's Prix de Ferrieres conditions race prior to his first genuine test in the Jockey Club. This was probably an upgrade on that effort after a subsequent freshener, but it is hard to get away from how strong that race looks this year, with Ace Impact recording stunning sectionals to deny the top-class Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}).

Jean-Louis Bouchard said, “Christophe Soumillon said after his second outing that he was probably more of a 2400-metre colt rather than a Prix du Jockey Club colt and so an Arc type. We've been working together with Pascal Bary for a long time. With my trainers, it's very much a team effort and I'm also thinking of Stephane Wattel because it's thanks to him that if I own Feed the Flame as he trained the colt's brother Sacred Life for me who should have won his race.”

Soul Sister appeared to have no excuses in third and Kieran Shoemark said, “We didn't go particularly quick, which suited us because she's got a strong turn of foot and I tried to utilise that into the straight. She picked up well for me, but I struggled to peg back Ryan [Moore] and I think we've been beaten by a very good colt.”

Thady Gosden echoed that sentiment. “The winner looks an exceptional colt. He quickened by the whole field from arguably the worst position in the race like a proper horse,” he said. “He looked smart coming into this and was supplemented like our filly, he's probably one of the best mile-and-a-half horses around at the moment. She's run a very good race in defeat to him. There are options back with the fillies now, we'll see how she comes out of it and probably do that.”

Pedigree Notes

Feed The Flame is the sixth of seven foals and fourth winner out of the unraced Knyazhna, a half-sister to the dual group 2-placed sire Migwar (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who produced the aforementioned Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) whose career successes included the GIII Monmouth S., GIII Knickerbocker S. and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon. Also responsible for the G2 Prix Hocquart third Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), she is a granddaughter of the Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Crystal Crossing (Ire) (Royal Academy) who produced the G1 St Leger-winning sire and Derby runner-up Rule Of Law (Kingmambo), the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile runner-up Dame Marie (Smart Strike) and the listed-placed dam of the G3 Chartwell Fillies S. winner Tomyris (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her unraced 2-year-old colt Gulf Legend (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a €300,000 private purchase at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale.

Friday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:26.71, g/s.
1–FEED THE FLAME (GB), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
     1st Dam: Knyazhna (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Katyusha, by Kingmambo
     3rd Dam: Crystal Crossing (Ire), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST G1 WIN. TDN Rising Star. (€270,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Lordship Stud & Clear Light SAS (GB); T-Pascal Bary; J-Cristian Demuro. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €113,150. *1/2 to Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), MGSW-US & GSW-Fr, $920,768; and Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), MGSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adelaide River (Ire), 129, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €137,160.
3–Soul Sister (Ire), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Dream Peace (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Lady Bamford (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €68,580.
Margins: 1, NK, 3HF. Odds: 2.60, 4.20, 1.60.
Also Ran: First Minister (Ire), Winter Pudding (Fr), Rubis Vendome (GB), Peking Opera (Ire), Silawi (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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In a finish much more tense than promised, the 4-11 favourite ultimately pulled out enough to beat Adelaide River by 1 1/2 lengths, while the 80-1 outsider Covent Garden (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) completed a remarkable eighth Irish Derby one-two-three for Aidan O'Brien 2 1/4 lengths away. This was a 15th success in the race for Aidan O'Brien and a landmark 100th in Classics for the master of Ballydoyle, but for Moore it was a welcome first Irish Derby.

“I've had a lot of disappointment in this race, but Aidan had said to me that Mick Kinane didn't win until Galileo so maybe I just needed a good one to win it,” the rider said after a tactically challenging steering job. “It wasn't a straightforward race. There's a big headwind down the back and a gale blowing behind you in the straight, they went very steady for the first half of the race and my horse was always in a gear too low. I'd have liked something to go on a stride quicker, I wanted to go around Wayne and then had to switch back in and the horse in front was getting a very easy time. I had to go to him early and this is a horse who when he gets to the front tends to wait a bit.”

– –

He gives Aidan O'Brien a 100th European Classic victory with @DDFRacing Irish Derby success. A first winner in the race for Ryan Moore @curraghrace#オーギュストロダン | #ディープインパクト | #競馬 pic.twitter.com/y3mzgDjUtL

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 2, 2023

This renewal came down to being on or near the front end, which can be no surprise to anybody who has witnessed the races that had preceded it during the three-day Irish Derby festival. It was therefore a surprise that White Birch's jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle opted to negate the rare advantage of his mount breaking on terms by restraining him towards the back and handing the favourite a four-to-five length advantage.

Even before San Antonio's unfortunate breaking down four out, it was clear that White Birch was completely misfiring and the fact that he and Sprewell were caught up in the resulting melee had little to no impact on the result. Two out, Auguste Rodin seemed to comfortably have the measure of the pace-setting Adelaide River but all the evidence of the past few days is that Aidan O'Brien's 3-year-old crop are finally getting to their peak. Some of those that were quiet in the spring are leaping forward now and Seamie Heffernan was on one who had made significant strides over the past month.

A few strides after the two pole, the body language of Moore and Heffernan offered marked contrast and as they went to the furlong marker it seemed possible that Adelaide River could rally for the upset. While Auguste Rodin hanging down towards the rail may not have affected the result, the overhead film showed clearly that the eventual runner-up was compromised by the intimidation more than once and the winning margin may not be the whole story. All that said, with the non-Ballydoyle contingent so far away from what was required here was a case of yet another Irish Derby resembling no more than a taxing work morning at Rosegreen.

The very real scare that Adelaide River posed in the closing stages outlines that for most of this stable's leading lights, the danger often lies within. Just as we learnt as the Derby also-ran Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) came back to demolish the Blue Riband hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) four years ago, the yard's battalion members gathered in Kildare can never be discounted. As well as Sovereign, O'Brien's other Irish Derby heroes who took major steps forward from Epsom include Soldier Of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Frozen Fire (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Adelaide River, who had top juvenile form having placed three times in pattern races including the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, was just following past precedent.

Aidan O'Brien, who had been at pains to stress on Irish Champions Day last year that Auguste Rodin has the tendency of his high-class dam Rhododendron to pull up in front, has always pointed to the Irish Derby as a true and fair test with no excuses. Ryan Moore was offering more complex feedback after this year's winner had crossed the line with ears flicking every which way to the collective exhale of relief from all the cliff-jumping punters.

“When there is a tailwind on the inner track it's not as straightforward as people think,” he said. “You can get different results with a proper wind like today and while the form will look questionable it's just that circumstances conspired against him. He didn't have the opportunity to give me the feel he had at Epsom because the circumstances were different, but he still won–he's done what he had to today and wasn't blowing and didn't turn a hair, so there is plenty more to come. He gets a mile and a half well, but I think he would be fine at ten as it always felt like they were going too slow for me which indicates he'll be fine coming back in trip.”

Of the trainer's milestone moment, Moore offered his usual measured insight. “Aidan will tell you that it's everyone else and it is, in that it is such a big team effort, but there's a reason you get these results,” he added. “I have a good idea what makes him different. He's seriously driven and wants the best the whole time. The amount of work he does is quite incredible. People talk about 'genius' and 'attention to detail' and there is that, but there's also another layer and I'm privileged to see it. Probably a lot of people wouldn't understand it.”

O'Brien gave his own slant on the outcome, which was the 19th time the Derby-Irish Derby double had been achieved. “The Curragh is very fair and very straight forward and one of the best facilities in the world, but it didn't go right in any part of the way today with the wind blowing them sideways going down the back and the lads in front going a gear too slow,” he said. “We wanted a strong, even pace but Ryan felt he was just in two gears too low. He said he was on auto-pilot the whole way up the straight and never clicked in at all and when he got to the front, he was all starry-eyed.”

“We knew that the second horse and Wayne's horse would handle this course much better than Epsom and it wasn't a surprise that Adelaide River ran much better,” he added. “It looked workmanlike and that's the fact of it, but Ryan was very adamant that there is so much more in there and we look forward to him the next day. Where that will be depends on the lads and we'll see in a few days.”

Pedigree Notes

Auguste Rodin's pedigree has been well dissected by now, with his dam Rhododendron winning the G1 Lockinge S. at a mile and the G1 Prix de l'Opera at 10 furlongs and finishing second in the Oaks. She is out of Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), another Curragh Classic heroine having mastered the Irish 1000 Guineas before adding the G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. to her tally. Rhododendron's full-sister Magical (Ire) was successful seven times at the highest level, including in two renewals of this track's Tattersalls Gold Cup and a Pretty Polly S.

The third dam is the multiple group-winning sprinter Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), also responsible for the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sprint S. scorer Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who in turn produced last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire) who produced Galileo's GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) and the G2 Richmond S.-winning first-season sire Land Force (Ire). Rhododendron's colt foal is by Dubawi (Ire).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY-G1, €1,250,000, Curragh, 7-2, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:33.24, gd.
1–AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rhododendron (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, MG1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-US, $1,786,763), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Halfway To Heaven (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs.J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €725,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng, 7-5-1-0, $2,129,776. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adelaide River (Ire), 128, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €250,000.
3–Covent Garden (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Inca Princess (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Westerberg,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,D Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €125,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 5HF. Odds: 0.36, 33.00, 80.00.
Also Ran: Peking Opera (Ire), Up And Under (Fr), Sprewell (Ire), Proud And Regal (Ire), White Birch (GB). Also Ran (DNF): San Antonio (Ire).

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