Auguste Rodin set for America as Aidan O'Brien targets Breeders' Cup Turf after Champion Stakes form boost

Auguste Rodin’s prospects of adding a Breeders’ Cup triumph to his string of Group 1 victories this season received a timely boost in the Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, according to his trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Successful in the Derby and Irish Derby this year, Auguste Rodin was not among the runners to contest the Champion Stakes, with O’Brien and the three-year-old’s owners, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Georg von Opel and John Magnier, having instead identified next month’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita as the best option.

However, although not participating in the Champion Stakes, Auguste Rodin’s form was still given further solidity having defeated the Ascot winner King Of Steel and Point Lonsdale, who finished fourth on Saturday, in the Irish Champion Stakes last month.

“The plan is he goes to America,” O’Brien said on Sunday. “It's interesting because yesterday Point Lonsdale finished exactly the same distance off of King Of Steel as he did in the Irish Champion so they were nearly identical runs. 

“We were delighted with Auguste Rodin at Leopardstown, over the moon, and the plan is to go for the Turf. He has a lot of speed and we saw that at Leopardstown. When you go around the inside track there on fast ground you need a lot of speed and he has that.”

O’Brien has won the Breeders’ Cup Turf a record six times, with his most recent success coming when Highland Reel made all to win under an inspired ride by Seamie Heffernan at Santa Anita in 2016. 

Auguste Rodin is the general 3-1 joint-favourite for the Turf with Mostahdaf, who was withdrawn from the Champion Stakes due to the going, while O’Brien will also hold a leading chance of landing Britain’s final Group 1 of the season, the Kameko Futurity Trophy, with 5-4 favourite Diego Velazquez.

The two-year-old is unbeaten in two starts, but will require a new jockey for Doncaster on Saturday with Ryan Moore suspended. 

While O’Brien was uncertain who would ride Diego Velazquez, the trainer did report the juvenile on target for the race.

“The plan's to run him there and everything seems fine,” he said. “I don’t think he's run in that bad ground, but he's in good form. Everyone is very happy with him and everything's gone well so far.”

Diego Velazquez: on target for Doncaster on SaturdayCredit: Patrick McCann

A decision on whether Paddington will run again is set to be made this week by the Coolmore partners before he is retired to stud at the end of the season.

The three-year-old trailed in ninth, beaten more than 35 lengths, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, with the performance being blamed on the four-time Group 1 winner racing too keenly on the soft ground.

O’Brien said: "I don't know what they'll want to do, but they'll discuss that this week. He's an absolutely top horse and I didn't protect him in any way with the placing through the season. 

“I know he won't be back next year as everyone is looking for him for stud and that's the harsh reality. I knew very early that was going to be the way. It's whether the lads decide they want him to run again or they take him home.”

Breeders' Cup Turf (Santa Anita, November 4)
bet365: 3 Auguste Rodin, Mostahdaf, 7 King Of Steel, 8 Onesto, 10 bar.

Kameko Futurity Trophy (Doncaster, Saturday)
Sky Bet: 5-4 Diego Velazquez, 5 Dancing Gemini, 11 Capulet, 12 God's Window, 20 Devil's Point, 25 Iberian, 33 bar.

Read more here

Aidan O'Brien on the 'very legitimate' excuse behind Paddington's flop in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 

'What an incredible performance to finish with' - Kia Joorabchian praises Frankie Dettori after emotional King Of Steel win 

'Is this real?' - Frankie Dettori bows out of British racing with magnificent victory on King Of Steel in Champion Stakes  

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