Betfred Derby preview: Aidan O'Brien faith in Auguste Rodin
Talk of a Triple Crown was ended when the son of Deep Impact failed to fire in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas but the trainer retains complete faith in his colt who is now a general 5/2 chance to win a Classic at the second attempt.
Reflecting on Auguste Rodin’s performance at Newmarket, O’Brien continued: “The plan was always to go straight to Epsom after Newmarket anyway and we needed to give him time to recover and build up. He has very much a middle-distance pedigree and was always going to step up in trip after the Guineas – he wouldn’t run over a mile again. He’s a beautiful moving horse and good ground would always be what he’d prefer.
“There are a lot of factors that we think happened in Newmarket that we couldn’t control and we didn’t think or see anything to make us bear from our original plan to go for The Derby. A mile was always going to be his hardest test and everything needed to go right and obviously that did not happen – the opposite did in fact.
“He’s a beautiful moving horse and soft ground was always going to be a worry for him. There was also the trip which was always going to be plenty short enough for him and he also needed a clear run and Little Big Bear galloped back into him. Ryan then got stuck in a pocket and there was no pace in the race. So many things went wrong and our plan to fly over on the morning was not possible – any one of the factors could have been detrimental and they all happened on the same day.”
However, O’Brien still sees lots of positives for Epsom Downs on Saturday.
He continued: “He has always been special from day one – his movement and everything about him. Nothing has changed our minds about him. Obviously, the Guineas went wrong and we just put that down as a non-event for him. We are looking forward to seeing how he runs on Saturday like everybody else.
“We were delighted how he came out of the race really. He is a very athletic horse, close-coupled and a very good mover – he wouldn’t break glass the way he moves. We are very happy with him physically since the Guineas and he is in very good form. Rachael who rides him out every day was very happy with him this morning, he’s nice and fresh. We think he’s fit and that’s all you can hope for really.
“Being by Deep Impact, one of the greatest Japanese stallions ever and out of Rhododendron, who was probably one of the best Galileo mares ever, he is very unique and rare. When you get a horse like him who looks like that, moves like, with that pedigree and with that ability, it is very unusual.”
Change of routine for Ballydoyle team
O’Brien is seeking a record-extending ninth Derby success after the victories of Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler of the World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019) and Serpentine (2020).
However an earlier race time on Saturday mean his 2023 team will be leaving their Ballydoyle base earlier than normal.
“The horse will be leaving Ballydoyle on Thursday afternoon. We usually travel on the day but with the early start we couldn’t take that risk and the horses will stay over at Epsom on Friday. We think it is the sensible and responsible thing to do and we will be sending over the fillies running in the Oaks on Wednesday – even though the Oaks it is run at its usual time (4.30pm), so they will take the same route as the colts," he said.
“The Derby is the race where all the horses come together and then you find out, that’s the way it is every year. They can have done whatever in their trials but it is only when they get to Epsom over that track and that distance that you find out – that is why it is the ultimate test.”
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