 |
|
| Sumita Pawar |
 |
Auguste Rodin, the Dual Derby winner, is set to participate in the Sheema Classic in Dubai as part of a mixed turf and dirt campaign.
With an exceptional pedigree, being out of multiple Group One winner Rhododendron, the Deep Impact colt lived up to his bloodline by taking both the Derby and Irish Derby last term.
He then capped his domestic season by winning another Group One title in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. After winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf, there were discussions regarding his retirement or staying in training.
The connections sportingly chose the latter option. After a winter break, the 4YO will return to the track in the Sheema Classic, which is set to be held over a mile and a half at the Dubai World Cup fixture in Meydan in late March.
Auguste Rodin did a piece of work on the all-weather track at Dundalk before his journey. After his return, he is expected to participate in a turf campaign before connections discuss running him on a dirt surface.
O’Brien – who runs Luxembourg and Tower Of London in Saudi Arabia on Saturday – said, “That’s the plan for him, the Sheema Classic, then we were thinking of going back for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and then maybe to Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s.
“We’ll have a look at racing him on the dirt after that, it’s very possible with these types of horses that you can push the boundaries a bit and explore a little bit and see what happens.
“He was at Dundalk on Friday, he went a mile and a quarter with three other horses and went very well.
“He came back then and started preparing for Dubai, that’s the plan.”