Will Auguste Rodin again have the legs of King Of Steel in the King George?
On that occasion King’s Theatre, beaten a length-and-a-quarter at Epsom, took glorious revenge on an out-of-sorts Erhaab, landing the mid-summer showpiece from White Muzzle with his June conqueror back in seventh. The Derby winner wasn’t to see a racecourse again.
The bookmakers are struggling to split the two protagonist this time around, you can back Auguste Rodin at 3/1 and King Of Steel 10/3 although the latter is favourite in some quarters.
The Classic generation certainly have the momentum going into the King George hot on the hooves of Paddington’s Coral-Eclipse triumph and Shaquille’s victory in the Pertemps Network July Cup.
Some argue the weight-for-age scale favours the younger horses right now – but Aidan O’Brien doesn’t.
Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast this week he said: ““Age is a massive thing for a thoroughbred – they usually improve a lot three to four. We would find that physically and mentally, and you can see rapid improvement in terms of body weight and body strength from three to four so you need a very good three-year-old to take on the older horses really.”
And the recent Ascot evidence backs him up.
11 of the last 15 renewals have included representatives of the three-year-old generation and four have been won by them. Nathaniel in 2011, Taghrooda 2014, Enable 2017 and Adayar two years ago.
Two were Oaks winners, one a Derby hero and while Nathaniel sat out the Classics, he did warm-up for his big day by winning the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.
That’s the race the King Of Steel team have used as a springboard back to Ascot – re-routing their towering son of Wootton Bassett to this test rather than his initial target, the Grand Prix de Paris.
They want another shot at Auguste Rodin. And you can see why.
The Epsom hero hardly set the pulse racing when completing a Derby double at the Curragh although Adelaide River’s bold bid when second in the aforementioned ParisLongchamp feature did at least add some late lustre to the form.
King Of Steel was having only his third career run at Epsom and after boiling over in the stalls on his intended reappearance in the Dante, it was his first start of the campaign too.
And for more than a stride or three on that glorious summer afternoon he looked to have the eventual winner’s measure, quickening clear only to be run down in the final climb to the line.
Jockey Kevin Stott was kicking himself afterwards, wishing he’d counted to ten before pressing the button. He knows his partner a lot better now and you’d imagine he’ll be looking to run past Auguste Rodin this time rather than playing another game of catch-me-if-you can.
It’s an intriguing rematch – especially as there’s still a sense that we haven’t seen the full might of Auguste Rodin yet.
His Derby win was remarkable off the back of his blow-out in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and everyone connected with him were happy enough with his performance at the Curragh on a day when being up with the pace was a big advantage.
And he’s not travelling over alone.
Adelaide River is in the mix to join him on the flight to England and near neighbours Luxemboug, Bolshoi Ballet and Point Lonsdale will definitely be aboard.
The lads mean business – and that’s just one reason why this is a King George of the ages, a glorious throwback to the days of Galileo having to quicken a second time to fend off Fantastic Light.
Because the older brigade are turning up. Last year’s winner Pyledriver, one of the most popular horses in training, is back to defend his crown. He was racing for the first time since that memorable win when landing the Hardwicke at the Royal meeting. Co-trainer Willie Muir insists he’s taken a big step forward since.
Emily Upjohn and Westover bombed out in the 2022 renewal but return at the top of their respective games.
The former dropped back to ten furlongs to give Paddington plenty to think about at Sandown while Westover was back to winning ways in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. A confidence boost for a cot who looks more tractable and professional than last year’s model.
Hukum seemed to have Desert Crown covered all the way down the Sandown straight in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, overcoming traffic problems to run down last season’s Derby winner in the closing stages.
Both will be racing for the first time since but did Sir Michael Stoute leave enough to work on for his Epsom hero to not only reverse form with his Esher conqueror but restablish himself as the king of the middle-distance division?
And that’s the beauty of this year’s King George.
Will Auguste Rodin again have the legs of King Of Steel isn’t the only burning question heading into it.
But it might just be the most pertinent one. And the more I watch the Epsom replay, the more I think the Derby second might give his rival all he can handle and more next week.
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