Tag: Auguste Rodin (Ire)

‘It Would Be Very Tempting’: Cox Plate A Possibility For Paddington

by Trent Masenhelder/TTR AusNZ

Three-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) is under consideration for the A$5-million G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Oct. 28, Coolmore's Tom Magnier revealed on Wednesday morning.

A winner of six of his seven starts in succession including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., and G1 Eclipse earlier this year, the son of Modern Eagle (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}) holds a slew of entries at the top table in Europe, as well.

Speaking to RSN Racing And Sport, Magnier said of the Cox Plate possible, “We're going to be chatting about that over the next couple of days [bringing horses to Australia].

“When you look at Paddington, he is the best 3-year-old in Europe. Obviously, we've got Auguste Rodin that won the English Derby–he's a machine, but I was looking at Paddington and what he is doing is breathtaking. I don't know if anybody saw him running in the Coral-Eclipse the other day, the race Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) was in… that was an unbelievable field and he just decimated them. He is an absolute superstar.

“You'd have to think that if he lined up in a Cox Plate, he'd be very hard to beat. I'm not saying that that's going to happen, but we obviously hold Australian racing in very high regard and bringing a horse like Paddington down for a Cox Plate… it would be tempting and very exciting.”

Magnier's comments coincide with the Moonee Valley Racing Club's (MVRC) announcement that the winner of next month's G1 Juddmonte International S. will be handed a 'golden ticket' into the Cox Plate.

Interestingly, the G1 Juddmonte International S., which will be run at York on Aug. 23, is a possible option for Paddington and his triple Group 1-winning stablemate Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

“We're very keen to continue our great association with York Racecourse, and the winner of this year's race will be more than worthy of a place in the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate,” MVRC's head of racing, Charlotte Mills, told TTR AusNZ.

Aidan O'Brien, who won the Cox Plate in 2014 with Adelaide (Ire), before his son Joseph was victorious in 2021 with State Of Rest (Ire), said the Cox Plate is a great stallion-making race.

“The Cox Plate has enormous prestige and is a very important race for a colt to win, especially for a potential dual-hemisphere stallion. We won it with Adelaide and more recently Joseph won it with State Of Rest. It is always a great race and a very prestigious race on the international calendar,” O'Brien said.

Previous winners of the Juddmonte International S. include Singspiel (Ire), Giant's Causeway, Falbrav (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Baaeed (GB). O'Brien is a five-time winner of the Juddmonte, with his most recent success being in 2019 when Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) scored under Ryan Moore.

The Juddmonte International S. becomes the third golden ticket race, joining the GI Saratoga Derby and G1 Takarazuka Kinen.

“We've been thrilled with the reception that we've had from the international jurisdictions for the international qualifiers; we're getting positive conversations and dialogue between trainers, jurisdictions and ourselves,” Mills added.

“Between Racing Victoria and the clubs here in Victoria, we are actively going out to recruit to ensure we're doing everything in our capacity to bring the best horses to Australia. With the best of our local horses and the opportunities to have international raiders, we want to present the best possible product on the day.

“To have a pioneer like Aidan O'Brien return, that would be a huge thrill for the club and for the race itself. We're certainly happy with the pace of interest we're receiving from international connections, and there are some domestic talents that we are working just as hard on, such as Amelia's Jewel (Aus) (Siyouni {Fr})–we want her in the race.”

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Derby Double For Auguste Rodin In Dramatic Irish Derby

The betting suggested that Sunday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh was a simple equation, but in the event there was a deal of disappointment and drama en route to TDN Rising Star Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Rhododendron {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) completing the Derby double that had always seemed an inevitability. As the other key Derby runners White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) failed to raise a fist, Ryan Moore first had to manoeuvre the unseating of Wayne Lordan on the stricken San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on the home turn and then work to subdue the yard's 33-1 shot Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

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.”

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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Auguste Rodin Poised for Derby Double

Anyone privy to the sensational closing sectionals of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Derby will be approaching Sunday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh with great anticipation of what he can do next. While Epsom's final three furlongs lend themselves to electric fractions, the 33.01 that Ballydoyle's latest celebrity covered them in is nothing short of remarkable and already places him in exalted territory among the very elite to have conquered the demands of the Blue Riband.

Now that the only marginally less brilliant King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has underlined at Royal Ascot just what an achievement it was to give him a start and run him down on the famous Surrey Downs, the excitement continues to mount that we are in the midst of a great one.

It is therefore vital that the talented and possibly under-rated White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is here to test his merit again and provide a true measurement of his trajectory. John Joseph Murphy's grey missile likes to hand his rivals instant advantage, but at Epsom he was notably rapid throughout the final half mile with his split from three to two out of 10.67 just a tick off the race's sharpest recorded by King Of Steel. Now on a more galloping track on ground which should play more to his strengths, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's representative ensures this is an Irish Derby with real weight.

Much will be said by Aidan O'Brien but as usual, the master of Ballydoyle was keeping it low-key pre-race. “Everything has gone smooth since Epsom,” he said. “That was his first time over a mile and a half and we didn't know how it would be, but we thought he was very comfortable and it has to be a good experience to stay at that trip again. Those horses at Ascot had more time from the Derby this year, which helped, but the form looks to be standing up.”

Murphy is understandably hoping that White Birch can make the same impact here as he did last month. “I was delighted at Epsom, but I think he could have been a bit better as he starts his races quite slowly and then gallops very genuinely,” he said. “He's a very sound horse, I don't think he's ever had a vet. He's very genuine, but he doesn't break well and I think he'll get better as the race goes on. He's lightly-raced still, there's only so many times you can go to the well but he likes his racing and likes his work–every morning he has a great attitude.”

Fourth in the Derby and denied a clean passage at a crucial time, Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim's Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) still has to improve markedly to impose himself on Auguste Rodin and White Birch so the colts that followed him home at comfortable margins in Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial, Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), should be readily outclassed. Aidan O'Brien has set this up tactically to allow the favourite to get into his crushing rhythm and the useful potential pacemaker Covent Garden (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will presumably set the stage.

Straight Up?…

Of course, Ireland are not the only ones on Sunday staging a Derby, with the 154th edition of the G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg seeing Gestut Karlshof's Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) re-opposed by TDN Rising Star Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) following their mismatched encounter in Cologne's G2 Union-Rennen earlier this month. While there was a five-length margin between them on that occasion, Wanja Soren Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss's Mr Hollywood had been so impressive when taking Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic that Straight has to do it again for true validation.

Straight's owner-breeder Bruno Faust said, “We are very happy for him to have shown his quality in such an awesome way! He has the right genes, being very closely related to three German Derby winners, a German Oaks heroine and Derby runner-up plus this year's Derby Italiano hero Goldenas. For me, it was clear that he had the potential when he broke his maiden at two and he has continued to convinc e us. I also hope that he can handle any ground.”

Sebastian Weiss said of Mr Hollywood, “Our trainer Henk Grewe told us that he was a very good horse, but just how good he was we only began realising when he took the Bavarian Classic. We bought him without much planning, he was on a list given to me by Wilhelm Feldmann and even if it sounds like a cliche, I fell in love with him instantly. He had so much presence, he was such a good mover and athletic, if he would have been by Sea The Stars or Frankel, he probably would have been amongst the top lots, but we were lucky he was by Iquitos. I only know whoever wants to win this Derby will have to beat Straight.”

If there is one who could shake up the domestic team it is the Ralph Beckett-trained If Not Now (Ger) (Iffraaj {GB}). Bred by Gestut Fahrhof and bought at the BBAG September Yearling Sale for €67,000 by Jeremy Brummitt for Quantum Leap Racing, the relative of the 1999 Deutsches Derby runner-up Acambaro (Ger) (Goofalik) produced a noteworthy performance when winning a Sandown handicap by seven lengths on his latest outing. “He's done well from two to three and it was a good effort last time. He's a very straightforward individual and his owners were keen to have a go, so it all made very good sense,” Beckett said.

Unquestionable Faith…

Sunday's G2 GAIN Railway S. is always an important staging post en route to the following year's Classics, particularly where Aidan O'Brien is concerned, and there are three potential Guineas colts from Ballydoyle this time. Successful on debut in the Listed First Flier S. and a close third in the G3 Marble Hill S. here before finishing fourth and beating all on his side in last Thursday's G2 Norfolk S., His Majesty  (Ire) (No Nay Never) would ordinarily have been expected to be Ryan Moore's pick. That he is not speaks volumes for the regard in which the TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is held. Third behind His Majesty as they made their debuts in the First Flier, Al Shaqab Racing, Coolmore and Westerberg's relative of Cityscape (GB) and Bated Breath (GB) looked so comfortable in the course-and-distance Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Maiden at the Irish Guineas meeting that he has made a deep impression on Moore.

Opting for him over His Majesty and fellow TDN Rising Star Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was last of six in the Marble Hill, the rider explained, “There isn't much to choose between any of them. I do think His Majesty holds the best form claims of our trio heading into the race, especially as you have to mark up his fourth in the Norfolk last week and I think the return to six furlongs will suit him too but Unquestionable clearly has a lot of potential and I was very impressed by him when he won his maiden here last month. I think there is a lot of improvement in this Wootton Bassett colt. Democracy is better than he showed in the Marble Hill last time too.”

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Auguste Rodin Faces Eight In Irish Derby

Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will have eight peers to overcome on Sunday in his bid to become the fifth Derby winner for Aidan O'Brien to double up in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh. Among them are the Derby third White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and fourth Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the only runners not representing the O'Brien family with the Donnacha-trained Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joseph-trained Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) the others taking on a Ballydoyle quintet. Auguste Rodin is drawn next to the rail in one, with the habitual slow-starter White Birch widest of all in eight.

Incredibly, Ryan Moore is looking for a first renewal of this Classic and said in his Betfair blog, “If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him. I am sure the connections of White Birch and Sprewell will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won't. Different day, different course, different result maybe. But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot.”

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