On Sunday, Auguste Rodin will be looking to become the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to complete the Epsom-Irish Derby double and add to trainer Aidan O’Brien’s staggering fourteen wins in the contest.
Auguste Rodin is not just another Classic winner for the Ballydoyle team either. From the final small crop of Japanese super-sire Deep Impact, the colt has significant importance for the Coolmore breeding operation as an out-cross and potential heir apparent to their own champion sire Galileo. In recent years, Epsom Derby heroes who have failed to win again have been earmarked for National Hunt stallions and Auguste Rodin needs to prove he is something out of the ordinary.
Winner of the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Stakes as a juvenile, Auguste Rodin was disappointing in the Group 1 2000 Guineas and halted any dreams of a possible Triple Crown victory. He looked a different horse when sailing up the Epsom straight to take the Derby by half-a-length from King Of Steel, who has since boosted the form by bolting up at Royal Ascot. Auguste Rodin is clearly out of the very top drawer, and a victory in the Irish Derby will go someway to cementing his place in the history books.
If Auguste Rodin fails to fire again, White Birch will be ready to pounce with his last-to-first running style. The Ulysses colt's required tactics of a late run arguably denied him victory in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York, where he flew home up the near side to finish a neck behind The Foxes. He attempted to do the same thing again in the Derby, but the front two had drawn well clear by the time the colt was making his move under Colin Keane and he stayed on well for third. He's always going to be susceptible to traffic in the closing stages and a small-field Irish Derby may be White Birch's best chance of victory.
Jessica Harrington's Sprewell will be looking for a fairytale Irish Classic victory for the yard, following his commendable fourth in the Epsom equivalent. He was very impressive when taking the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown by three lengths but there isn't an obvious reason why he can reverse the placings with Auguste Rodin back at The Curragh.
Aidan O'Brien is five-handed in the race and of the longer-priced runners, San Antonio appeals as an each way hope at 50/1. The form of his Listed Dee Stakes win at Chester has been boosted with the third-placed horse Local Dynasty filling the same position in the Golden Gate Stakes Handicap at Royal Ascot. He didn't seem to like the course at Epsom when hanging right-handed off the bend into the straight and it would be no surprise to see him hit the frame.
WIN: WHITE BIRCH
PLACE: SAN ANTONIO
