By Tom Frary
The vibes were strong about Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) ahead of Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown and they proved correct as the son of Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) got his stable off to a strong start to Irish Champions Weekend. Fine-tuned since breaking his maiden over seven furlongs at Naas July 2, the 11-10 favourite was settled by Ryan Moore behind the leading pair early which included his stablemate and fellow TDN Rising Star Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Sent to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs of the mile trip remaining, the bay edged right with the smooth-travelling filly Caroline Street (No Nay Never) in attendance but ultimately had the answers to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
“He's a lovely horse and was a bit idle on ground that is probably a bit slow for him,” the winning rider said of the winner, who had looked unlucky when second on debut at The Curragh June 26. Aidan O'Brien had given the impression beforehand that Auguste Rodin has been sending out the right signals at Rosegreen and said, “He's just back off his break and will come forward plenty from it. He is a horse who probably doesn't want to be in front too long, but his mum was like that, she liked to be getting there late but that's a good thing as those horses tend to last longer. He always showed a lot of pace in his work and he's a good traveller, a lovely mover and will appreciate nice ground when he gets it.”
“He has a beautiful physique and a good nature and always went through his work very impressively,” he added. “To get a horse like him by Deep Impact out of a Galileo champion mare is incredible really. He could be a Futurity Trophy or a Dewhurst horse, he has plenty of class and quality and will probably sharpen up a lot from the race. We thought he could be the type of horse who could do both the Guineas and Derby, he could be a Derby horse that could start in the Guineas. He could get a mile and a half, but he's a mile, mile-and-a-quarter horse we thought.”
Of Tower Of London, who faded in midstraight and finished a disappointing last, O'Brien added, “At home he knew more than the other horse and ideally, we would have preferred to take our time a little bit more with the other horse but there was no pace. Something had to go and it probably didn't really suit him doing that.”
Pedigree Notes
Auguste Rodin, who becomes the 151st group winner for his legendary late sire, is so far the only known foal out of the leading racemare Rhododendron who was able to win a Lockinge at a mile and the Prix de l'Opera over 10 furlongs, as well as finish second to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Oaks. Her dam is the outstanding producer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who also captured a trio of top-level contests from a mile to a mile and a quarter including the Irish 1000 Guineas. Rhododendron's full-sister Magical (Ire) was a seven-times group 1 winner, with her conquests featuring the feature race on this card and Ascot's Champion S.
Halfway To Heaven is out of the triple group scorer and G1 July Cup runner-up Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who is also responsible for the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. winner Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire). The latter went on to produce Galileo's GI First Lady S. and GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) and the G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never), while Tickled Pink is now the dam of the stable's upwardly-mobile Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage scorer Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).
Saturday, Leopardstown, Britain
KPMG CHAMPIONS JUVENILE S.-G2, €150,000, Leopardstown, 9-10, 2yo, 8fT, 1:45.25, sf.
1–AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rhododendron (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, MG1SW-Eng, 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)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. TDN Rising Star. O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €90,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $103,630. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Caroline Street, 128, f, 2, No Nay Never–Harvestfortheworld (Ire), by So You Think (NZ).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Marc Detampel & Michael Buckley; B-Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner & Ron Davidson (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. €30,000.
3–Alder (Ire), 131, c, 2, Australia (GB)–Eccentricity, by Kingmambo.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs A M O'Brien & Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €15,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.10, 18.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Serious Challenge (Ire), Tower of London (Ire).
Exciting colt.
Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact) is bred to be a star and is now a Group 2 winner, landing the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien #LICW22 @LeopardstownRC | pic.twitter.com/gMkfrei0kP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 10, 2022
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