'We will see a different Auguste Rodin this time' - key quotes for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

Auguste Rodin (left) and King Of Steel: big guns face off in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown

The career of Auguste Rodin has been hot and cold, or perhaps boiling and freezing would be a more apt description. When he is good he is brilliant, but when he has been bad he has been brutal, although there have been valid excuses for his below-par efforts this season.

The dazzling Derby wins at Epsom and the Curragh have come in the middle of shocking showings in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and the King George at Ascot. On both occasions he has flopped there was plenty of cut in the ground but excuses won't wash on that front here.

It is Auguste Rodin's first try over a mile and a quarter. He has won twice over a mile, twice over a mile and a half and once over seven furlongs but some say this could be his optimum trip and, given conditions are very much in his favour and he has a great draw in stall two, this might well be the day we find out just how good Auguste Rodin actually is.

Aidan O'Brien is the master of recovery. He got Auguste Rodin back from the Guineas to win the Derby and if he gets him back from the King George to win the Irish Champion Stakes it would be another astonishing achievement.

The master trainer is chasing a record-extending 12th Irish Champion Stakes and a fifth in a row. Magical won back-to-back runnings in 2019 and 2020 before St Mark's Basilica did the business in 2021 and Luxembourg last year.

O'Brien said of Auguste Rodin: "He was disappointing at Ascot, but we think a lot of things went wrong for him there. He flew over, he was trapped wide and a whole lot of other stuff too. There could be a lot of things that contributed to that disappointing run and, when Ryan [Moore] felt him coming off the bridle very early he didn't take a chance as that is not like him. He took him out of the race quickly. He could have put him in the race and that might have left a scar on him. He did the right thing and knew it wasn't the wrong thing to do.

"We've been very happy with him since and everyone around him is happy with him. He's drawn towards the inside rather than outside as at Ascot; he's back in trip to a mile and a quarter compared to a mile and a half; he's back on some nice ground compared to the ground at Ascot and he's not flying either. There are an awful lot of things that have changed which makes us think we will see a different Auguste Rodin this time."

Last year's winner Luxembourg is coming into the race slightly under the radar but O'Brien, who also runs Point Lonsdale, feels it would be foolish to underestimate him.

He said: "We rode him forward in the King George. He's sort of a mile-and-a-half horse who has enough pace for a mile and a quarter. He's certainly not a mile-and-six horse. The ground was a bit soft that day and he took it up early enough. We think coming back to this trip will suit and we've been very happy with his work since the last day. We think he'll run a very good race."

'He's the one they all have to beat' – confidence behind King Of Steel's chances

At one stage this week, King Of Steel was as short as 13-8 with Paddy Power and he looked a certainty to start favourite. Now it looks like his old rival Auguste Rodin might take that tag off him. The score between the pair is 2-1 to the Irish contender.

King Of Steel was in front of him last time, though, when third to two older horses in the King George and Roger Varian said this has been the plan since. He has never actually tried a mile and a quarter before, but everything about him suggests the trip will suit and Varian is expecting a big run.

Varian said: "He's been trained for the race since he ran in the King George. He looks in very good condition and his work has been very pleasing. His form has been good all year. He's never run a mile and a quarter but we're all looking forward to seeing him back in trip. He travelled out there on Thursday and everything is fine with him. We couldn't be happier with him."

Writing in his William Hill blog, jockey Kevin Stott added: "I'm absolutely confident that dropping back to ten furlongs will help him and with plenty of pace in the race we should get a good gallop to work from. Going that slightly quicker tempo should allow him to get into a rhythm quicker and I can’t wait to get back on board him again.

"Everyone at home is really happy with him and he looks great. He's been given plenty of time to get over his run in the King George and, while it was a hard race, we think he'll have learned a lot from it and I expect him to step forward mentally as much as anything here. He's still lightly raced and there could easily be more to come on just his sixth start. If anything, we actually think he might be better at this trip.

"I wouldn't swap him for anything in the race and honestly believe he's the one they all have to beat."

'It was an exceptional run last time' – can Nashwa continue the fine record of fillies?

The Nashwa camp are quietly confident and why shouldn't they be?

The popular filly finished in front of Paddington in the Juddmonte International and the pace she displayed over a mile when running away with the Falmouth suggests she has the tactical speed to deal with whatever is thrown at her here.

Fillies and mares have a terrific recent record too as Magical won back-to-back runnings in 2019 and 2020, while The Fugue (2013) and Snow Fairy (2012) were also successful.

Hollie Doyle was impressed by Nashwa in defeat last time and is looking forward to being reunited with the four-year-old at Leopardstown.

She said: "It was an exceptional run last time and on the back of that you'd like to think she has a very good chance. It's never easy taking on the colts, but she's proved she can operate at the highest level and she doesn't have to prove anything to anyone after her last run."

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Nashwa, added: "She ran a great race last time out to be second and has come out of the race well. Obviously it's a competitive race, as the Irish Champion Stakes always is, but she goes there in good order for another crack at the colts."

What they say

Owen Burrows, trainer of Alflaila
He's been in good form since York so we feel he justifies a shot at a race like this. He's won his Group 3s and a Group 2 last time and it's very sporting of Sheikha Hissa to supplement him. He's not done a lot wrong and we'll see whether or not he's Group 1 standard. It's a top-class race but rating-wise he's not too far off them and he's in a good spot.

Fabrice Chappet, trainer of Onesto
He's in very good form, which you need to be heading over there. I was very happy with his comeback in the Marois over a much shorter trip. He knows the track and was only just beaten by Luxembourg in this race last year. After this we could look at all the major international races like the Arc, the Breeders' Cup and the Japan Cup.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Sprewell
I'm very happy with how he's been lately. We've given him a break and he's ready to start back.

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