Tag: Luxembourg (Ire)

Deep Impact’s Auguste Rodin Wins The Irish Champion

Proving once again that he belongs at the top of the tree, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Rhododendron {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) laid it all out on Saturday to prevail in a gruelling edition of Leopardstown's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. As he had in the Derby, when churning out historical sectionals at the business end, the 11-4 favourite was able to handle a demanding test carved out by last year's hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and pour it on late as the closers inevitably came into the picture.

Subduing Luxembourg a furlong from home, the third TDN Rising Star winner on the card, who is possibly the most ground-dependant elite performer that Aidan O'Brien has trained, was reportedly idling late as he led home a one-two for the yard by half a length in this “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Luxembourg, who was back to his determined best, grimly hung on to the runner's-up spot by a short head from the strong-finishing Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), as King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) finished on their heels a further half a length behind in fourth.

“We knew that Luxembourg was in a great place and Auguste Rodin is a magical horse really–a great horse, bottom line,” O'Brien said. “The little thing is he wants to get there late, as he parks in front and we always knew that. He's a beautiful mover and an easy cruiser and Ryan was delighted that he had the horse in front who was going to get him there. He has an unbelievable capacity to go a very high tempo from very early and quicken off it, but when he gets there he waits.”

Flying in the face of convention has been Auguste Rodin's hallmark from a relatively early point. First, there was the G1 Futurity Trophy success after a painful wait from connections to see whether he would be allowed to take part after Doncaster was hit by heavy rain. If he managed to navigate soft there, he was completely unable to deal with it underfoot in Newmarket's 2000 Guineas and at Ascot where he was gone long before the home turn. Even the Irish Derby was visually unexciting and so had he not delivered a masterclass at Epsom in between, he probably wouldn't have been here at all.

Whereas in the King George he couldn't lay up from the outset, this time Auguste Rodin looked for a brief spell as if he might land in front but Seamie Heffernan was intent on taking up the mantle with Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) acting as wing-man. While the Irish Derby happened in what O'Brien classes as “second gear the whole way”, this was as truly-run as any Group 1 race of recent times with Luxembourg back on-song and crunching away at the numbers in front.

Any weakness in the eventual winner would have been exposed by the time they passed the two pole, but instead of curling up Auguste Rodin continued to tick off relentless fast fractions. Understandably, Luxembourg buckled slightly though not enough to suggest his performance was anything other than a top-class one and probably a career-best but his year-younger stablemate occupies marginally higher territory.

“He is so slick, he's all action,” O'Brien added. “Soft ground has to hinder him and we were lucky Ryan was on him at Ascot so that no physical damage was done. “He is so important to the breed and you know how quickly they can be destroyed, so all credit to the lads who knew Ascot was not his run at all. I have to thank Michael [Tabor] for having the confidence in everybody to relax and calm down and come back.”

“A couple of times this year it all went totally wrong,” he continued. “He's very tough, very hardy, but a little bit peculiar. Annemarie was watching him in the stable. If things happen around his environment he stays awake all night. He doesn't sleep. He's probably just a very sensitive horse. He takes in everything.”

Moore was in no doubt cantering to post that his mount was back in the groove. “I knew he was in a real good place and he floated around there–it never really felt in any doubt and he was just waiting a bit in the last 100 yards,” Moore said. “It is very satisfying for him to come back and prove how good he is again. Aidan's done a fantastic job and I always felt this was his ideal trip–his dam didn't stay a mile and a half and won a Lockinge. It was an evenly-run race and they all had their chance.”

O'Brien is thinking of swerving ParisLongchamp and the habitual slog through the mud next month. “He probably wouldn't go to the Arc, as the ground is usually soft and the lads love the Breeders' Cup,” he said. “He'd love Santa Anita, as you know you're going to get fast ground so we'll see how he is after a week or 10 days. That's a strong possibility–I'd say the Turf rather than the Classic, and whatever after that. He went by boat to Epsom and that was one of the common denominators that wasn't stacking up, the flying. Maybe if he flies again he needs a little bit of time to get over it.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Auguste Rodin's record bodes extremely well for his five-times Group 1-winning champion dam Rhododendron, who also had her dips as well as highs but was capable of magic when at her peak. He is her first foal, with her second a colt by Dubawi (Ire) born this year. The second dam is Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose three top-level triumphs included an Irish 1000 Guineas and who also produced Galileo's seven-times Group 1 winner Magical (Ire).

Halfway To Heaven is out of the multiple group-winning sprinter Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who is also responsible for the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. scorer Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire). Tickled Pink produced the stable's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who was placed later on this card, while Theann has 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) under her auspices.

 

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
ROYAL BAHRAIN IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, €1,250,000, Leopardstown, 9-9, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:02.68, gd.
1–AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rhododendron (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, 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)
'TDN Rising Star'. 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, 9-6-1-0, $2,891,914. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Luxembourg (Ire), 135, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €250,000.
3–Nashwa (GB), 132, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Princess Loulou (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Imad Al Sagar; B-Blue Diamond Stud Farm (UK) Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. €125,000.
Margins: HF, SHD, HF. Odds: 2.75, 4.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: King Of Steel, Alflaila (GB), Point Lonsdale (Ire), Onesto (Ire), Sprewell (Ire). Scratched: Al Riffa (Fr).

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Luxembourg, Auguste Rodin Irish Champion-bound

Trainer Aidan O'Brien indicated MG1SWs Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) would return in Leopardstown's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. on Sept. 9. The stablemates were last seen in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29, where Luxembourg was a hard-fought fourth while the dual Derby winner came home a distant 10th.

Their conditioner could find no obvious reason for the poor showing but remained hopeful the son of the late Deep Impact could bounce back at Leopardstown.

“We're very happy with Luxembourg, everything has gone very well,” said the Ballydoyle handler of the 4-year-old, who took the 2022 renewal of Leopardstown's 10-furlong test. “The King George is a tough race and he was on the pace. The plan is at the moment both he and Auguste Rodin are going to Leopardstown.”

He continued, “Really, we don't know what happened to Auguste in the King George. He was drawn very wide and trapped very wide and he came off the bridle a lot earlier than Ryan [Moore] would have thought. It's probably a blessing in disguise, as if he came off the bridle at the stage, he was probably going to get a very tough race. For a baby 3-year-old, he was probably lucky he didn't get into a brawl and he came home very well.”

Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, O'Brien hinted that the Classic-winning sophomore was unlikely to return for a 4-year-old season.

“He's such a unique horse pedigree-wise he's kind of irreplaceable really,” he said.

Also on tap to resurface on Irish Champions Festival weekend is Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), 20-length winner of the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran in his final appearance in 2022 which saw him go unbeaten for that season. Injury ruling out a return in the first half of 2023, the colt is looking to defend his G1 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger crown at the Curragh Sept. 10.

“Four months ago, you'd have said he'll never race again. He got an infection in his joint and then the ligament down the outside of his pastern shifted, so it became unstable,” said O'Brien. “Everyone has done a wonderful job with him. If we got a run into him, we'll look towards [ParisLongchamp, Oct. 1] Arc weekend again, either the Arc or the Cadran, but I would imagine the Arc would be too much too quick for him.”

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Eleven For King George, Ascot Now Soft

Eleven high-quality runners will make up one of the greatest renewals of the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Qipco S. in recent memory on Saturday, with Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) the biggest missing name among them. Saeed Suhail's troubled 2022 Derby hero's leg infection means that the keenly-anticipated clash of the last two Blue Riband winners in the Ascot monument is cruelly denied, while the three other withdrawals disappointingly include the sole French challenger Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), whose chance was put paid to by the 17mm of rain which fell overnight.

Aidan O'Brien removed two of his back-up entries Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}), leaving four from the stable headed by the dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) under Ryan Moore. As far as his draw is concerned, it was far from bad news for connections with the race's key 3-year-old in the widest stall. Ascot's renowned bias for middle to high numbers over this mile-and-a-half trip is even more pronounced on ground as easy as looks certain to prevail for Saturday's behemoth contest. There have been very few King Georges with double-figure fields of late, but it is notable that Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) were all posted wide in years when there were more than six runners.

Ascot's heavy overnight rain turned the ground officially to soft on Thursday and with the prospect of more scattered showers to interrupt any drying effect, this year's renewal could be tough going for some but not for the likes of Shadwell's Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Not best drawn in four, the 6-year-old full-brother to Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) could nevertheless start favourite as the least likely of the race's big contenders to be inconvenienced by easy conditions. Jockey Jim Crowley is happy with the ground, but said, “He's in good form and I just want good-to-soft or good, no one wants heavy for any horse,” he said.

Hukum is next to Amo Racing's Derby runner-up and G2 King Edward VII S. winner and other 3-year-old presence King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in three, while the G1 Coronation Cup one-two Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) fared better in eight and 10, respectively. Ballydoyle's quartet includes the G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in stall one, with Seamie Heffernan reunited with him for the first time since the 2021 G2 Beresford S., while Adam Kirby has been booked for Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in stall five. He is next to last year's winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the middle in six, with Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) in seven. In a twist, Desert Crown's regular rider Richard Kingscote, who was due to be replaced by William Buick on the subsequently-withdrawn Stoute luminary, has been booked for the Haggas's veteran mud-lover.

King Of Steel's owner Kia Joorabchian is relishing taking part in such a deep contest. “This is going to be one of the best races for centuries,” he said. “He's been fantastic, but I hope the ground doesn't get too heavy and we'll see a much more realistic race if it's not. He runs on both types of ground and for a big horse is light on his feet and loves his racing. He's still three, so whatever happens at the weekend he has a long way to go and the end target is the Breeders' Cup.”

Clerk of the Course Chris Stickels is expecting a slight firming up of conditions and said, “There is a chance of a passing shower–a light shower today and an occasional shower possible on both Friday and Saturday–but we are not talking about much volume of rainfall, so I expect conditions to improve a little, given a breezy and warmer forecast, with temperatures between 21C (70F) and 24C (75F).”

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O’Brien Planning Strong King George Assault Led By Auguste Rodin

As many as six horses from Aidan O'Brien's yard, including dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), will line up in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29.

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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