Auguste Rodin completed a famous English Derby-Irish Derby double with a battling display at the Curragh.
A brilliant winner at Epsom last month, Aidan O’Brien’s star was made to work in the Irish Derby by Ryan Moore to pull away by a length from stablemate Adelaide River.
Sent off a hotly-fancied 4/11 favourite, Auguste Rodin was always travelling well in behind the lead and was briefly angled out to avoid the stricken San Antonio, who sadly appeared to suffer a nasty injury in the final few furlongs.
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Covent Garden, an 80/1 shot, stayed on for third ahead of Peking Opera as O’Brien completed a 1-2-3-4 in the Classic.
It is O’Brien 15th Irish Derby success and his 100th European Classic victory while Auguste Rodin is the first horse to complete the double since the Dermot Weld-trained Harzand in 2016.
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Image: Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien pose for a photo with Auguste Rodin after Irish Derby success
“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.
“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.
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“We knew the second horse would handle this course much better than Epsom and it wasn’t a surprise that he ran much better.
Image: Ryan Moore lifts the Irish Derby trophy
“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.”
Murray lands another big prize with Bucanero Fuerte
Image: Bucanero Fuerte (far) holds off Unquestionable to win the Railway Stakes
Adrian Murray bagged himself another big juvenile prize as Bucanero Fuerte battled back to edge out Unquestionable in the GAIN Railway Stakes.
Murray sprang an almighty surprise at Royal Ascot when Valiant Force won the Norfolk Stakes at 150/1.
Bucanero Fuerte (100/30) had also run at Royal Ascot, and with real credit when third in the Coventry Stakes, but that was only 12 days ago and there was a worry this Group Two was coming too soon.
He looked set to come off second best when pulling clear with Aidan O’Brien’s Unquestionable.
To his immense credit, though, the Wootton Bassett colt would not accept defeat and got himself in front right on the line to win by a short head.
The victory was a second in three years for Rossa Ryan, who also took the prize on David Loughnane’s Go Bears Go in 2021.
Commanche Falls adds Irish success to glittering CV
Image: Commanche Falls wins the Dash at the Curragh
Dual Stewards’ Cup winner Commanche Falls added a Listed race to his CV when registering a determined success in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes.
Winning for the 10th time in his career, the six-year-old was having his first run in Ireland as he came home a length and a quarter clear.
Coming in off arguably a career-best effort when third behind his Michael Dods-trained stablemate and July Cup fancy Azure Blue in the Duke of York Stakes, he was sent off the 5/4 favourite.
By halfway Connor Beasley was hard at work as Anthem National and Mooneista went for home.
However, a trait in most of Commanche Falls’ victories is that the strongest part of his race is the finish and when he hit the front just over a furlong out, he was only just getting into top gear.
He had Anthem National back in second, with Mooniesta a further half-length back in third.
The winner was cut to 12/1 from 14s for a third win in the Coral Stewards’ Cup by the sponsors.
Sourse: skysports.com
