Auguste Rodin can bounce back to winning ways in Irish Champion Stakes
REDEMPTION TRAIL: Auguste Rodin and rider Rachael Richardson during morning exercise at Ballydoyle earlier this month. Last year's Derby hero disappointed in the King George on his most recent start but can bounce back to retain his Irish Champions Stakes crown at Leopardstown on Saturday. Picture: Healy Racing
Leopardstown hosts the first day of Irish Champions Festival, with a marathon nine-race card, and Aidan O’Brien looks certain to dominate proceedings. The nap on the card goes to his Delacroix, who can give the trainer a third consecutive win in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.
On debut, the son of Dubawi and brilliant race-mare Tepin finished runner-up to Green Impact, with whom he clashes once more, but everything about his performance screamed of inexperience. In the circumstances, he did remarkably well to finish second, beaten just a length and a half behind the winner, who had the benefit of a previous run.
Showing the type of improvement which we’ve become accustomed to from Ballydoyle juveniles, he made no mistake on his second start. He has plenty of scope for further improvement and can reverse previous form with Green Impact. A greater threat may come from stablemate Bernard Shaw, who ran out a wide-margin winner of a Dundalk maiden on his second start.
Auguste Rodin can record back-to-back successes in the weekend’s feature, the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes. Aidan O’Brien’s colt isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, with his list of impressive successes punctuated by disappointment, but this appears to be his best trip, and he can erase the memory of his latest below-par effort, in the King George.
When winning this race in 2023, he quickened sharply to take the lead and was value for much more than the official winning distance of just half a length. He should have little trouble confirming that form with stablemate Luxembourg, but could find another stablemate, Los Angeles, a tougher nut to crack. The latter, the Irish Derby champion, is dropping in trip but is not short of pace and has to be respected.
British raiders Economics, Ghostwriter, and Royal Rhyme, as well as Japanese runner Shin Emperor, make this a particularly good renewal.
Porta Fortuna is a model of consistency at the top level and the Donnacha O’Brien-trained filly can put a fourth Group 1 success on her card by taking the Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes.
Cheveley Park winner in September of last year, she wrapped up a busy juvenile campaign by finishing a close second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf. On her return, she posted a huge effort in the English 1000 Guineas, in which she was beaten just a neck behind Elmalka.
Building on that, she won the Coronation Stakes in good style, and then ran away with the Falmouth Stakes. That most recent effort looked like the best of her career, and there should be even more to come from her.
While she takes on the likes of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel, Ylang Ylang, who was three parts of a length behind the selection in the Newmarket Guineas, and the lightly-raced but exciting Jancis, she can continue her progress with another victory.
The progressive Evening Blossom can complete her hat-trick by taking the HKJC World Pool Autumn Fillies’ And Mares’ Handicap. Joseph O’Brien’s filly took time to get off the mark but when doing so she quickly followed up. She tends to do just enough and thus has only gone up to a mark of 81. She is capable of better and will be hard to beat. Quadruple is the most obvious danger.
1:10 Bubbling
1:40 Delacroix (Nap)
2:15 Diego Velazquez
2:50 Porta Fortuna
3:25 Auguste Rodin
4:00 Trustyourinstinct
4:35 Plontier
5:10 Gleneagle Bay
5:45 Evening Blossom
1:10 Chantez
1:40 Bernard Shaw
2:15 Maljoom
2:50 Fallen Angel
3:25 Los Angeles
4:00 Kinesiology
4:35 Spasiba
5:10 Atlantic Coast
5:45 Quadruple
