Tag Archive for: Irish Derby

Ryan Moore confident Curragh test will suit Los Angeles

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Ryan Moore is hoping Los Angeles can make up ground with Ambiente Friendly as the pair clash again in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

The duo met in the Derby at Epsom earlier this month, with neither proving a match for Los Angeles’ stablemate City Of Troy, who ran out an impressive winner for Moore and trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Ambiente Friendly was a two-and-three-quarter-length runner-up for James Fanshawe on that occasion, with Los Angeles beaten a further three and a quarter lengths in third.

However, Moore expects his mount to be suited by the Curragh track and believes Los Angeles could improve again on what will be just his fifth career start.

Los Angeles in winning action at Leopardstown
Los Angeles in winning action at Leopardstown (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

The rider told RTE’s Morning Ireland: “He was a Group One-winning two-year-old, he won his trial nicely at Leopardstown and he ran a super race in the Derby.

“I think the Curragh will suit him well.

“He’s done very little wrong in his career. Obviously, he’s got to turn the form around with Ambiente Friendly, who was a good runner-up in the Derby.

“We’ve got a few lengths to find but hopefully he’s still open to improvement and we would like to think he can find a little bit more returning to the Curragh.”

O’Brien is also confident his son of Camelot can make his presence felt as he bids for a record-extending 16th success in the Classic event.

O’Brien said: “Los Angeles seems to be in good form. He’s a big, strong horse and very straightforward and obviously Epsom can be a little bit tactical and a little bit undulating, so we were delighted with the run and we just felt he needed to run for the experience and we’ve been happy with him since.

“He’s a big horse, but he’s a good mover. It was nice ground in Epsom and he didn’t have any problem with it and he seemed to come out of the race very well.”

Ambiente Friendly (white cap) found only City Of Troy too good at Epsom
Ambiente Friendly (white cap) found only City Of Troy too good at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)

Meanwhile, Ambiente Friendly’s trainer is backing big-race jockey Robert Havlin to get the tactics right in a race that also sees Epsom ninth Euphoric, along with Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates, represent O’Brien.

Fanshawe said: “He goes over tonight and he’s been really good since Epsom. He lost a bit of weight after the Derby, which is understandable, but he worked well a week ago and seems really well.

“He’s come along way in a short space of time, Ambiente Friendly, he was an 8-1 shot for the (Lingfield) Derby Trial and won that well before running a tremendous race in the Derby, so hopefully he can keep going in an upward trajectory.

“The race will play out as it is and I will leave that to Rab. I’m sure there will be some pace and there’s not many runners. He handled Epsom OK so he should be able to handle most tracks.

“Rab has been riding him a lot since Epsom and is really happy with the horse.”

The Ger Lyons-trained Keeper’s Heart is also part of the home defence, with Ambiente Friendly joined by David Menuisier’s French Derby seventh Sunway and the Roger Varian-trained Leicester novice winner Matsuri as the British challenge in a field of eight.

Los Angeles set to lead four-strong Irish Derby bid for Ballydoyle

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Aidan O’Brien will have four runners in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

The news was confirmed via a statement on the Coolmore website on Wednesday afternoon, which outlined Ballydoyle’s plans for the Classic.

O’Brien’s quartet of Los Angeles, Grosvenor Square, Euphoric and The Euphrates are all set to start in the mile-and-a-half showpiece.

After Auguste Rodin last year, Ryan Moore will aim for successive triumphs in the race aboard Betfred Derby third Los Angeles, while Declan McDonagh will partner Euphoric. Wayne Lordan and Dylan Browne McMonagle have been booked to ride Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates.

Agenda and Chief Little Rock are set to be withdrawn when declarations are made on Friday morning.

O’Brien will cover half of the eight-runner field, with Keeper’s Heart, trained by Ger Lyons, David Menuisier’s Sunway, the Roger Varian-trained Matsuri and James Fanshawe’s ante-post market leader Ambiente Friendly completing the line-up after his fine second to City Of Troy at Epsom.

The statement read: “With declarations for this Sunday’s renewal of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby due on Friday morning, Ballydoyle have confirmed that Los Angeles, Grosvenor Square, Euphoric and The Euphrates will all likely take their place.

“Los Angeles will look to make it back-to-back successes in the Classic under Ryan Moore following Auguste Rodin’s authoritative win in 2023.

“Declan McDonagh will ensure a good even pace aboard Euphoric with Wayne Lordan and Dylan Browne McMonagle aboard the other pair.

“With the request that Ballydoyle run four in the race and with four other likely starters, this will hopefully ensure field size to support the World Pool.”

Ambiente Friendly in fine form ahead of Irish Derby date

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James Fanshawe has declared himself “very happy” with Ambiente Friendly ahead of Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

An impressive winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial, he found only City Of Troy too good in the Derby at Epsom.

He faces a rematch with Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles, but the Ballydoyle runner has over three lengths to find.

“Ambiente Friendly appears to have come out of Epsom in really good form,” said Fanshawe.

Ambiente Friendly (left, white cap) and Los Angeles (second right) meet again
Ambiente Friendly (left, white cap) and Los Angeles (second right) meet again (David Davies/PA)

“He worked last Wednesday and seems nice and bright in himself ahead of the weekend and I’m very happy with the colt.

“He really came into his own in the Derby Trial at Lingfield back in May, which he won really well, and then showed further progress in the Derby at Epsom and appears in good shape since.”

He went on: “I just had a look at the weather forecast for the week and there doesn’t appear to be a lot of rain around.

“The ground was just on the slow side of good at Epsom and I don’t envisage any issues with the ground at the Curragh as he is a lovely moving horse and we are all very much looking forward to it.”

Fanshawe’s last Group One winner came courtesy of Audarya at the Breeders’ Cup in 2020.

Los Angeles is one of six left in by O’Brien, who is in the unusual position of not having the ante-post favourite.

Agenda, Chief Little Rock, Euphoric, Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates could all run for Ballydoyle.

Roger Varian’s Matsuri is due to step up in class having won a Leicester novice last time out, while David Menuisier may send Sunway.

The Ger Lyons-trained Keeper’s Heart is the only other possible.

Ladbrokes has Ambiente Friendly as the 11-10 favourite ahead of 6-4 shot Los Angeles.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “The Irish Derby is shaping up to be a showdown between the British and the Irish, as Ambiente Friendly goes head-to-head with Los Angeles. There is very little separating them right now, but we give James Fanshawe’s Derby runner-up the edge to remain in front again.”

On the same card is the Group Two Gain Railway Stakes, in which O’Brien’s debut winner Henri Mattise, a Wootton Bassett colt out of Immortal Verse, is one of 10 entries.

British interest comes in the form of Richard Hannon’s Principality and Kevin Ryan’s The Strikin Viking.

Ambiente Friendly supplemented for Irish Derby

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Ambiente Friendly and Los Angeles, second and third in the Derby at Epsom, are due to meet again in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Sunday.

James Fanshawe’s Ambiente Friendly beat Los Angeles by three and a quarter lengths at Epsom, with both no match for City Of Troy, and owners the Gredley family have opted to supplement for the Irish Classic.

Fanshawe’s last Group One winner came courtesy of Audarya at the Breeders’ Cup in 2020.

Los Angeles is one of six left in by Aidan O’Brien, who is in the unusual position of not having the ante-post favourite.

Agenda, Chief Little Rock, Euphoric, Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates could all run for Ballydoyle.

Roger Varian’s Matsuri is due to step up in class having won a Leicester novice last time out, while David Menuisier may send Sunway.

The Ger Lyons-trained Keeper’s Heart is the only other possible.

Ladbrokes has Ambiente Friendly as the 11-10 favourite ahead of 6-4 shot Los Angeles.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “The Irish Derby is shaping up to be a showdown between the British and the Irish, as Ambiente Friendly goes head-to-head with Los Angeles. There is very little separating them right now, but we give James Fanshawe’s Derby runner-up the edge to remain in front again.”

On the same card is the Group Two Gain Railway Stakes, in which O’Brien’s debut winner Henri Mattise, a Wootton Bassett colt out of Immortal Verse, is one of 10 entries.

British interest comes in the form of Richard Hannon’s Principality and Kevin Ryan’s The Strikin Viking.

Deira Mile to bypass Irish Derby challenge

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Deira Mile will swerve the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, with the St Leger at Doncaster in September his primary target.

The Owen Burrows-trained colt finished fourth in the Futurity Trophy on his final start last season before launching the current campaign with a comfortable four-length victory over 10 furlongs at Windsor to break his maiden.

He then stepped up in trip to a mile and a half for the first time in the Derby at Epsom and was handed a wide draw.

He travelled towards the rear of the field for much of the race before making up ground as they turned for home and reeled in majority of the field to come home a seven-and-a-half-length fourth behind impressive winner City of Troy at odds of 25-1.

But Burrows feels the mile-and-three-quarters trip of the St Leger will suit his charge better than a mile and a half at the Curragh.

Burrows said: “No plans for the Irish Derby. I’ve spoken to the owner Ahmad (Al Shaikh) this morning and we’re just going to give him a little bit more time.

“We feel that the Leger really is his race and he’s got one or two other entries abroad later on.

“He’s not going to get confirmed tomorrow and we’ll be swerving Ireland.”

Owen Burrows is swerving a trip across the Irish Sea
Owen Burrows is swerving a trip across the Irish Sea (Mike Egerton/PA)

Stablemate War Rooms is another Burrows inmate who will not be making a trip across the Irish Sea.

Burrows believes a drop down in class for the son of Churchill is needed after he was well beaten in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last week.

Burrows said: “He got far too far back in the King Edward VII, so we’ll have a little bit of a rethink with him and lower his sights a little bit.

“We’ll try to get his head in front somewhere and that won’t be in Ireland.”

Ambiente Friendly camp opt for Irish Derby bid

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Ambiente Friendly will aim to go one better than at Epsom when he contests the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 30.

The James Fanshawe-trained colt shot to prominence with a startling performance in the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Ridden by Rab Havlin for the first time at Epsom, he travelled ominously well for much of the contest before a rejuvenated City Of Troy shot through on his inside and he came out a clear second best.

Ambiente Friendly after finishing second in the Derby
Ambiente Friendly after finishing second in the Derby (PA)

With Aidan O’Brien’s number one now heading for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, co-owner Tim Gredley explained that Ambiente Friendly will tackle 12 furlongs once more against his own age group.

He said: “After the dust settled, we were very keen to keep him at a mile and a half and, as importantly, stay against his own age group. It was the only option really and I’m really looking forward to it and I think the race will suit him.

“We want to do what is right by the horse and the conditions of the Irish Derby seem a lot more favourable than going to the Eclipse.

“They came and won our Derby and for the sport, it only seems fair to go and have a go over there. We think the gradients of the Curragh and conditions of the race will suit, so that is why we have made the decision to go there.”

Ambiente Friendly, who needs to be supplemented to the list of entries, will once again be partnered by Havlin, with the colt’s Epsom pilot playing a key role in discussions about the Irish Derby assignment.

Gredley added: “Rab will ride and we all had a good chat this morning – Mr Fanshawe and I also spoke to Rab and Freddie Tylicki. We are all in unanimous agreement that we should go to Ireland.”

Paddy Power have promoted Ambiente Friendly to 5-4 favourite for the Irish Derby, with Epsom third Los Angeles next best in the betting at 6-4 after being confirmed as an intended runner by O’Brien.

Varian pondering big plans after Matsuri strolls to victory

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Roger Varian’s Matsuri put his hand up for a potential crack at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby with a startling success at Leicester.

The Sea The Stars colt was second on his debut at Salisbury, beaten a short-head, before breaking his maiden at Kempton in November.

That meant he was carrying a 6lb penalty in the first division of the Filbert Fox EBF Novice Stakes but he was in a different class to his rivals, pulling eight lengths clear under James Doyle.

Quite how strong the form will prove to be is up for debate but it was hard not to be impressed and he holds an entry in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot as well as the Irish Classic.

Varian told Racing TV: “I was very pleased with that, he’s a nice horse and we’ve always rated him, his runs last year were very good.

“It was frustrating this spring, I just couldn’t get him ready in time for a Derby trial, which is what we wanted to do from the outset, but we had to be patient and he’s won nicely today, so hopefully that will set him up for a good year.

“He’s had three runs now, Royal Ascot is not that far away and the Irish Derby comes soon after that, so he’s got nice options, he’s a very talented horse and hopefully he’ll end up somewhere nice.

“First time out at Salisbury, he caught us out a little as he’d been very relaxed at home but he ran a little gassy, so first run of the year today we put the hood on, that’s not to say he needs one but we didn’t want to give him any excuses today.”

Monday Musings: Aidan’s Curragh Monopoly

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You would think a €1.25 million pot would be enough to entice raiders from across the water to the Irish Derby, writes Tony Stafford. English connections of six of the nine runners duly did arrive at The Curragh in anticipation of the second Derby win of Auguste Rodin, and some friends and family too, but as far as the horses were concerned, it was a private party for the home team.

A length-and-a-half victory for the 4/11 shot, Aidan O’Brien’s almost obscene 15th success in his principal home Classic, might smack of routine, but routine it definitely was not.

Aidan had five runners, all for the Coolmore boys, and Messrs Tabor and Smith were on hand, along with John Magnier and Georg Von Opel alias Westerberg. Donnacha and Joseph supplied one each, Donnacha’s for the boys, although Joseph’s fifth home – incidentally behind four of his father’s – Up And Under, has Go Racing Ltd as its owner and I’ve no idea who they are or where they come from.

In the Derby at Epsom, nine of the 14 runners were trained in England. Runner-up King Of Steel gave the winner quite a battle before giving best, and was a full five lengths clear of the rest of the field. Roger Varian’s colt lived up to it in a fluent victory at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes. There he had two of the better-fancied runners from Epsom similarly well beaten again.

They were Artistic Star (Ralph Beckett) and Arrest (John and Thady Gosden) and the way they were put in their place by the Epsom runner-up gave a very solid look to the form.

You could see why none of the other, more remote, Derby Day also-rans from the UK took on the re-match. There was more realism in the second challenges of home-team contenders White Birch, third for the John Joseph Murphy stable, and Sprewell (fourth for Jessica Harrington), and unsurprisingly they were the second and third in the betting yesterday and the only two at single-figure odds.

Neither replicated the Epsom form, but in some ways neither did the winner. As had been the case there, where Adelaide River cut out much of the running, he again set the pace. He had been a well-beaten eighth at Epsom, but now it took a long while for the favourite to master him.

Much of the story of the race, though, involved the one Aidan runner not to be involved in the finish. This was San Antonio, a son of Dubawi, who at 16/1 was the second shortest of the Ballydoyle quintet even after he finished as far back as 11th at Epsom.

Here he was galloping happily alongside and just behind Adelaide River with the favourite in customary Irish Derby O’Brien comfort zone, close up, when suddenly four furlongs from home, San Antonio broke down and unseated Wayne Lordan. San Antonio sadly was fatally injured having fractured his right foreleg. Lordan was taken to Tallaght Hospital where last night he was said to be “concussed but fully conscious and able to move all limbs”..

The fall caused interference to the favourite and considerably more to some of those in behind including the two other home hopes, who both ran below par, their riders and trainers blaming the incident.

Ryan Moore certainly thought leaving Auguste Rodin without cover on the outside of the leader was a major contributor to what appeared a workmanlike at best performance. With a strong headwind in the first half of the race, and a tailwind in the straight, leading had been hard work initially and then pegging back the leaders just as difficult in the run home.

Eventually Auguste Rodin got on terms and, with his rider working hard, edged ahead, but Adelaide River, in Moore’s words, having enjoyed “the run of the race”, was even pegging back the favourite, and in no way looking a 33/1 shot.

Covent Garden, 80/1 in third, had been three lengths behind Sprewell in his latest race, the trial the Harrington horse won before Epsom. It was left to Peking Opera (66/1), a disappointment in the Queen’s Vase (1m6f) at the Royal meeting 12 days previously, to take fourth under Tom Marquand.

We’ve been accustomed in recent years of O’Brien multiple representation, especially at Epsom, to see more than one Ballydoyle work jockey step into the limelight: Padraig Beggy (Wings of Eagles, 2017) and Emmet McNamara (Serpentine, 2020) picked up career defining wins in the greatest race in the UK Calendar, but the home boys have stayed home of late.

Now, the five Ballydoyle horses were ridden by the regular trio of Moore, Heffernan and the unfortunate Lordan, while Tom Marquand will be happy to pick up his rider’s share of 50k for the fourth place of Peking Opera. Former Irish champion Declan McDonagh (2006) and more frequently riding nowadays for Joseph, finished third. Not a chalk jockey in sight!

They are clearly taking ever more careful account of jockeyship, something which especially concerns Michael Tabor; and his championing of Moore was the main reason for that appointment after Johnny Murtagh’s time there ended. Ryan has been riding with renewed vigour and enterprise, and at Ascot his energy and tactical awareness were the best we’ve seen from a flat race jockey for a long time. That has filtered through to his regular trips across to Ireland where before racing yesterday, he jointly led the riders’ table on 30 wins.

O’Brien sits second to the Gosdens in the UK trainers’ prizemoney list, having won £2,746,146 against Big John and Little Thady’s [he’s not that little! – Ed.] £3,210,084. At home, before racing yesterday, he was on more than €1.8 million. That has swelled to just a few Euro over the three milion mark, almost three times Joseph’s far from negligible tally in second.

Tabor was fulsome in his praise of his trainer yesterday. It is salutary to relate that it was only a few years ago that the media and those rumour mills, always so prevalent in racing, were predicting that David O’Meara was about to take over at Ballydoyle and that the Coolmore owners were ready to jettison their man.

John Magnier must go down in racing history as the genius who discovered the man to follow his unelated namesake but equally supreme, Vincent O’Brien.

When he retired, Vincent got an honorary doctorate and was forever thereafter described as Dr O’Brien. Maybe somebody can think up an appropriate appellation for Aidan when he allows someone else to win the Derby (nine and counting) and Irish Derby (15). It must be something unique as there’s been nobody like him.

Ryan Moore, so much more at ease with the media nowadays – the natural caution of this private young man having been hard for him to come to terms with - also was fulsome in his praise of the trainer. He said that over the past ten years he had provided so many good horses for him to ride. Auguste Rodin was Ryan’s first winner of the Curragh race, to go with his three at Epsom, two for O’Brien including last month.

The rest of the season is panning out quite nicely for them with such as Irish 2.000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Paddington dominating the mile division for now and, despite his near miss at Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup, top sprint honours can still come the way of Little Big Bear.

As for the two-year-olds, there was a rare reverse in yesterday’s opener when close Ascot third Bucanero Fuerte rallied late to get the better of Aidan’s favourite, Unquestionable, in the Railway Stakes. The pair, both sons of Coolmore’s star young stallion Wootton Bassett, were miles clear of the third-placed His Majesty, who had been a close fourth in the Norfolk Stakes.

That followed two wins at the start of both Friday and Saturday’s Curragh cards, all comfortably achieved. The highlight undoubtedly was the facile all-the-way win of Frankel filly Ylang Ylang on debut on Saturday. This 1.5 million gns buy from Newsells Park Stud had the look of a guaranteed contender for races like the Moyglare Stud Stakes. I was at Chester on Friday night watching another Wootton Bassett colt, owned in partnership by Newsells Park with Jonathan Barnett and trained by Michael Bell.

He ran a promising first race finishing third to Witness Stand who looked very smart. Tom Clover trains that one. It took five hours without stopping to get back from Chester which was just five minutes less than the journey home from Lingfield (one third the distance) on Saturday when a three-hour wait on the M25 put in perspective how lucky I had been with my five hours each way on the M6 on Friday.

It wasn’t entirely a weekend without enterprise by English trainers. Michael Dods sent his top-class sprint handicapper Commanche Falls for the Listed six-furlong race yesterday and was rewarded with a nice payday as he outpaced the local speedsters.

But his chance was there for all to see. Much less obvious were the claims of the Hughie Morrison-trained and Arbib family-owned Stay Alert, a Group 3 winner last year, but only fifth behind Free Will and Rogue Millennium in the Middleton Stakes at York.

In running an excellent second in the Yulang Pretty Polly Stakes on Saturday to the George Boughey favourite Via Sistina, she collected valuable Group 1 placed black type as a 25/1 shot, and can go on from here.

The winner looks a top performer. Boughey has lost one major owner from his yard after a run of unfortunate veterinary issues during Royal Ascot but the way he spoke diplomatically about his former client, wishing him and his family all the best, suggested he has the right temperament for this tricky profession in which he has started out so well.

- TS

O’Brien achieves Classic landmark as Auguste Rodin completes Derby double

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Auguste Rodin gave Aidan O’Brien his 100th European Classic win as he fended off stablemate Adelaide River in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

The Epsom hero was also a first winner in the race for Ryan Moore as he came home a length and a half clear, with Covent Garden ensuring a clean sweep of the places for the Ballydoyle team in third.

However, the race was marred by a serious injury to San Antonio, another O’Brien runner, who broke down badly on the turn for home, giving Wayne Lordan a nasty fall.

Adelaide River (4-11 favourite) set the pace under Seamie Heffernan with Moore happy to take a lead into the straight.

When he loomed upsides two furlongs from home it looked as if Auguste Rodin would go away and win impressively, but it was not until the final 100 yards that he eventually put the race to bed.

Auguste Rodin is the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to follow up victory at Epsom in the Irish equivalent.

“It was hard to judge the pace with the wind and Ryan said it was all happening a bit too slow for him. He would be much better in a faster run race,” said O’Brien.

Auguste Rodin and Ryan Moore return
Auguste Rodin and Ryan Moore return (Brian Lawless/PA)

“We wanted a strong, even pace and he was just in second gear. He never got into third gear at all. When he got to the front he was all starry eyed.

“We knew the second horse would handle this course much better than Epsom and it wasn’t a surprise that he ran much better.

“This horse is real classic blood. He can cover that mile and a half in a strong, fast pace, move well and do everything right. The Curragh is very fair and very straightforward.”

Regarding the future, O’Brien added: “We will do what we usually do which is wait about seven days and we will talk with the lads and see what they want to do.”

Part-owner Michael Tabor paid tribute to the O’Brien family after another Classic success.

“The whole (O’Brien) family and their work ethic is tremendous, it doesn’t happen just by luck,” he said.

“The work that he puts in every day, and I mean every day, and he loves what he does. He gets up in the morning and he enjoys his work, you have to as life is too short.

“I don’t think you saw the real Auguste Rodin, but it’s always a great thrill to win the Irish Derby.”

Moore was pleased to secure his first Irish Derby win and told RTE: “I’ve been looking forward to riding this horse since Epsom and hoping to tick this race off.

Auguste Rodin with trainer Aidan O’Brien (left) and jockey Ryan Moore
Auguste Rodin with trainer Aidan O’Brien (left) and jockey Ryan Moore (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It’s a hard one, because poor Wayne there – I just hope he’s OK.

“It didn’t suit this horse because it was a messy race. I ended up getting to the front early after us not going quick. He was just waiting when he was in front then.

“He’s a lovely horse and I’m very lucky too. I’m grateful to win this race, it’s just a shame the way it turned out there.

“He’s a lovely horse and that’s what it’s about really, it’s about the horses. He’s a beautiful horse.”

San Antonio won the Dee Stakes in May
San Antonio won the Dee Stakes in May (David Davies/PA)

Lordan was taken to Tallaght Hospital for tests, while O’Brien confirmed Dee Stakes winner San Antonio had sustained a fatal injury.

He told Racing TV: “It’s terrible for San Antonio. When things go wrong in any sport after going 75 per cent of the way and the pressure is really going on, that’s when devastating stuff can happen and it does happen.

“Thank god Wayne is OK, but it’s terrible for San Antonio and we’re so sorry for everyone – that lads that looked after him and rode him and did everything with him.”

Epsom hero Auguste Rodin out to enhance his reputation at the Curragh

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Aidan O’Brien goes in search of his 100th European Classic as Auguste Rodin attempts to become the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to win at Epsom and follow up in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

The Deep Impact colt represents one of the Ballydoyle trainer’s greatest achievements as he brought him back from finishing almost last in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to win the Derby in style at Epsom.

With runner-up King Of Steel winning the King Edward VII Stakes and Hong Kong-bound Derby sixth Waipiro taking the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot, Auguste Rodin’s form looks rock solid and he is understandably long odds-on to follow up.

“The Derby seems to be working out well, which is nice,” said O’Brien.

“We’re very happy with our horse, everything has gone well since Epsom and the Derby so we are looking forward to seeing him run again.

“It gave everybody a lot of satisfaction, what he did at Epsom, not just me. We always thought he could do something like that, but you can never be sure.

“Obviously the world was always thought of him and we were delighted that he could go and put that Guineas run behind him.”

O’Brien also runs Adelaide River, Covent Garden, Peking Opera and San Antonio, but they are all big prices behind Ryan Moore’s mount, who incredibly is still searching for a first Irish Derby winner.

Shane Foley has recovered from injury in time to ride Sprewell
Shane Foley has recovered from injury in time to ride Sprewell (Brian Lawless/PA)

In fourth place at Epsom was Jessica Harrington’s Sprewell, who may have finished slightly closer with a clearer run.

“He was unlucky at Epsom, he was in the right position at the right time but three fancied horses in front of him stopped dead for various reasons. He just got brought back and had nowhere to go,” said Harrington.

“There are always bad-luck stories at Epsom, but you’ve got to get over it and get on with the next race.

“He’s got a great attitude and if you’ve got an attitude like that it does help.

“He handled the ground great then, everyone said ‘he’s only a soft-ground horse’ but it wasn’t the fact that I wanted to run him on soft ground, it just happened that the races came up.”

Shane Foley has made it back from a broken collar bone in time to keep up the partnership.

White Birch won the Ballysax Stakes earlier in the season
White Birch won the Ballysax Stakes earlier in the season (Niall Carson/PA)

John Murphy’s White Birch was one place ahead of Sprewell, having already won the Ballysax Stakes and finished second in the Dante.

“I was delighted with the run. I think he could have been a bit better as he starts his races quite slowly and then gallops very genuinely,” said Murphy.

“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.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under finished second to White Birch in the Ballysax and filled the same spot behind Sprewell in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown

“It looks a very good race as you’d expect. He has form line with some of the principals in the race and I think it is fair to assume he could run a good race,” said the trainer.

“Probably it would be wishful to say he could win, but we’re hoping for a good run and we’re looking forward to the race.

“It was a good run at Leopardstown behind Sprewell. He is out of a Galileo mare and we’ll be hopeful he will handle the better ground.

“I suppose when you see Sprewell’s run in the Derby, he really franked the form, so we have a nice horse for the future and we’re looking forward to that.”

Moore staying grounded, as Auguste Rodin aims for Classic brace

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Ryan Moore is not taking anything for granted ahead of his bid for a first Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby success aboard red-hot favourite Auguste Rodin.

While trainer Aidan O’Brien is seeking a remarkable 15th victory in the Curragh Classic – and his 100th European Classic in total – it is one of the few top-level prizes that has so far eluded one of the world’s top riders.

Following victory at Epsom four weeks ago, Auguste Rodin is all the rage to complete the Derby double, a feat last achieved by Dermot Weld’s Harzand in 2016.

As usual, though, Moore is not getting carried away.

“His chance is obvious, as his price suggests, but there are few certainties in racing,” he told Betfair.

“I am sure the connections of the Epsom third and fourth, 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

“If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him.”

Sprewell represents Jessica Harrington in the Irish Derby
Sprewell represents Jessica Harrington in the Irish Derby (Brian Lawless/PA)

O’Brien is responsible for more than half of the field, with Auguste Rodin joined by Epsom eighth Adelaide River, the 11th home San Antonio, last week’s Queen’s Vase seventh Peking Opera and Covent Garden completing his quintet.

The Ballydoyle handler’s two sons also saddle runners, with Up And Under out to provide Joseph O’Brien with his second Irish Derby as a trainer after striking gold with Latrobe in 2018, while his younger brother Donnacha is represented by Proud And Regal.

The field is completed by the aforementioned third and fourth from Epsom in John Joseph Murphy’s White Birch and the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell.

White Birch finished just over five lengths behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom, while Sprewell has seven lengths to find.

Auguste Rodin takes on eight in Derby double bid

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Auguste Rodin will face eight rivals in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Following victory in the Betfred Derby at Epsom four weeks ago, the Deep Impact colt bids to complete the double at the Curragh this weekend, a feat last achieved by Dermot Weld’s Harzand in 2016.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien is seeking a remarkable 15th Irish Derby success, while Auguste Rodin’s rider Ryan Moore is surprisingly yet to win the Group One contest.

O’Brien is responsible for more than half of the field, with Epsom eighth Adelaide River, the 11th home San Antonio, last week’s Queen’s Vase seventh Peking Opera and Covent Garden completing his quintet.

The Ballydoyle handler’s two sons also saddle runners, with Up And Under out to provide Joseph O’Brien with his second Irish Derby as a trainer after striking gold with Latrobe in 2018, while his younger brother Donnacha is represented by Proud And Regal.

Sprewell represents Jessica Harrington in the Irish Derby
Sprewell represents Jessica Harrington in the Irish Derby (Brian Lawless/PA)

The field is completed by the third and fourth from Epsom in John Joseph Murphy’s White Birch and the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell.

White Birch finished just over five lengths behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom, while Sprewell has seven lengths to find.

Harrington hopeful, but realistic as Sprewell prepares to take Auguste Rodin on again

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Jessica Harrington is well aware of the task facing Sprewell in this weekend’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Harrington is revered in the equine world, and having won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham and Classics on the Flat, she has mastered both of the racing codes.

She would, though, love nothing more than to win an Irish Derby. Sprewell has seven lengths to find with the odds-on favourite Auguste Rodin from the Betfred Derby, but back on a more conventional track and with less runners, Harrington hopes the Epsom fourth may be able to close the gap on Sunday.

“I’m very happy with his preparation. He came out of Epsom very well and we’ve just slowly built him up,” she said.

“He’s a very laid-back character and it’s quite easy to keep the preparation going.

“Auguste Rodin is going to be very difficult to beat. He’s proved himself to be an exceptional horse, to come back from what was a disaster really in the English 2000 Guineas.

“It was a great training feat for Aidan (O’Brien) to get him back and to win so easily, as he did in Epsom.

“He’s got to go out and do it again, but I’m presuming he’ll be in good order. He’s got it on the board and he beat us a fair way.

“You’re always hoping. You don’t go into those races thinking, ‘I’ll be grand being second’. I want to go in there thinking, ‘I’ll be grand if I can win’.”

When asked if she thought the Curragh would suit him better, the Moone handler added: “I’m hoping it will. He hasn’t run there, but he’s gone both ways around so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. He’s been left-handed three times now and also right-handed at Gowran.

“It looks like it’s going to be lovely ground, perfect good ground which will be ideal – no extremes in any direction.”

Harrington reported herself in good form, having come through treatment for breast cancer in recent months, and has her sights set firmly on the future.

“We’ve got through it all and I’m feeling great now, really good. I think I’m nearly back to normal because I’ve got my energy back now,” she said.

Jessica Harrington is looking forward to more big days
Jessica Harrington is looking forward to more big days (Brian Lawless/PA)

“I’m lucky I’ve got through it all and that’s the main thing. I’m only looking forward, not back. Keep looking forward to what you are going to do and don’t be looking back.

“It’s very easy to look back and get negative so you want to keep looking forward. What motivates me is that I like succeeding, I like winning, doing well and I like to get better at what I do.

“Having had the cancer I’m probably more focused now and wanting to do things. In a way it raised the question that you could get ill and then the answer was that I’m going to beat this. That makes you want more because that keeps you going.

“I hoped that if I talked about it other people would too, instead of pushing it under the carpet and going about their treatment with their heads down.

“My attitude was to go about the treatment, and that I’m going to beat this.

“There are an awful lot of things left on my list to achieve. The Irish Derby is definitely one of them, that’s on the bucket list as it were.

“There are loads of international races I’d like to win and I’d like to win more races in Ireland, you always want to win more. When you get so far you like to keep your standards up.”

O’Brien backed by Moore to have Auguste Rodin spot on for Derby double

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Ryan Moore hailed the “genius” of Aidan O’Brien, as he prepares to partner hot favourite Auguste Rodin in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

Despite O’Brien having won the Classic a record 14 times, Moore has never managed to find himself on the right one since linking up with the Ballydoyle trainer.

Idaho in 2016 was as close as he has come, being beaten half a length by Dermot Weld’s Harzand, who was completing the English-Irish Derby double that Auguste Rodin will be attempting at the weekend.

And the fact the Deep Impact colt was able to bounce back in the Betfred Derby at Epsom, after finishing 12th of the 14 runners in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, once again underlined O’Brien’s special talent, according to Moore.

TV Presenter Clive Myrie presents the Ryan Moore with the leading jockey at Royal Ascot award
TV Presenter Clive Myrie presents the Ryan Moore with the leading jockey at Royal Ascot award (David Davies/PA)

“Aidan has shown for the last 30 years what an unbelievable talent he is,” said the rider, who was crowned leading jockey at Royal Ascot for 10th time last week.

“Genius gets bandied around an awful lot but how he prepares his horses and gets them to that day, to do it as many times as he has is a very special thing to do.

“I know the horse was disappointing at Newmarket, but there were reasons for that and Aidan always had complete belief in the horse.

“He is a horse that everyone always held in the highest regard from a very early stage.”

O’Brien could also run Adelaide River, Covent Garden, Peking Opera and San Antonio.

The third and fourth home from Epsom, White Birch and Sprewell, are both also on course with young jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle booked to partner the John Murphy-trained White Birch.

He Racing TV: “I’m delighted to get the leg-up, massive thanks to connections and Mr Murphy and all the gang down there. It is a great ride to pick up and I’m just blessed to get the leg over him.

Dylan Browne McMonagle has been booked to ride White Birch
Dylan Browne McMonagle has been booked to ride White Birch (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It’s my first ride in the race, so hopefully we will have a bit of luck. He has got good form coming into it. I think the Curragh will suit him well.

“He’s a bit awkward away from the gates, but I think if it happens again we won’t be worrying because in the Curragh you have got plenty of time to get into it. There’s a long straight there, so hopefully he has got a live chance and can run a big race.”

Dermot Weld’s once-raced Knight To King, Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under, Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal and Salt Bay, the only UK-based entry left in by last year’s winning trainer Ralph Beckett, complete the list.

Auguste Rodin on course to bid for Derby double

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Auguste Rodin will face a maximum of 10 rivals if he is to complete a Derby double in the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Irish version at the Curragh on Sunday.

Aidan O’Brien’s Deep Impact colt bounced back from a disappointing run in the 2000 Guineas to win at Epsom and confirm once again the undeniable skills of his trainer.

Three of the first four home from Epsom are still in the mix, with subsequent Royal Ascot winner King Of Steel, second at Epsom, the only one not heading to the Curragh. Auguste Rodin is set to go off the long odds-on favourite and will aim to give Ryan Moore a first win in the Classic.

O’Brien could also run Adelaide River, Covent Garden, Peking Opera and San Antonio.

The third and fourth home from Epsom, White Birch and Sprewell, are both also on course with young jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle booked to partner the John Murphy-trained White Birch.

He Racing TV: “I’m delighted to get the leg-up, massive thanks to connections and Mr Murphy and all the gang down there. It is a great ride to pick up and I’m just blessed to get the leg over him.

Dylan Browne McMonagle has been booked to ride White Birch
Dylan Browne McMonagle has been booked to ride White Birch (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It’s my first ride in the race, so hopefully we will have a bit of luck. He has got good form coming into it. I think the Curragh will suit him well.

“He’s a bit awkward away from the gates, but I think if it happens again we won’t be worrying because in the Curragh you have got plenty of time to get into it. There’s a long straight there, so hopefully he has got a live chance and can run a big race.”

Dermot Weld’s once-raced Knight To King, Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under, Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal and Salt Bay, the only UK-based entry left in by last year’s winning trainer Ralph Beckett, complete the list.