Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is on track to bid for a Derby double at the Curragh on Sunday with Aidan O'Brien's Epsom hero heading a field of 11 forfeits for the Curragh showpiece.
If successful in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Auguste Rodin would provide the master of Ballydoyle with his 100th European Classic success, but the colt will face stiff competition with the third and fourth home at Epsom still in the picture for the race.
O'Brien has five horses remaining in the €1.25m contest, which will be the first Irish Derby run on a Sunday since 2011, and the main attraction of the three-day fixture.
Auguste Rodin will be bidding to give Ryan Moore his first win in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and the rider heaped praise on O'Brien ahead of what could be an historic weekend for the trainer.
Moore said, “Aidan has shown for the last 30 years what an unbelievable talent he is. 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.”
Auguste Rodin could also become the first horse to complete the Epsom-Curragh Derby double since Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in 2016. Among those standing in his way could be his own stable companions Adelaide River, Covent Garden, Peking Opera and San Antonio.
However, John Murphy's White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), a first ride in the Irish Derby for Dylan Browne McMonagle, and the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), third and fourth respectively at Epsom a month ago, appear to be the biggest threats to O'Brien's Epsom scorer.
Harrington is expecting a big run from Sprewell but is realistic about the task at hand. She said on Tuesday, “I'm very happy with his preparation. He came out of Epsom very well and we've just slowly built him up. 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 2,000 Guineas.
“It was a great training feat for Aidan 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.”
She added, “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'.”
Also standing their ground ahead of Friday's final declaration stage are the Dermot Weld-trained Knight To King, an impressive winner at Gowran Park on his debut, Joseph O'Brien's Leopardstown Derby Trial second Up And Under, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Proud And Regal and the Ralph Beckett-trained Salt Bay.
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