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| Staff Writer |
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In the upcoming Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, trainer Aidan O'Brien is considering running both Luxembourg and Auguste Rodin. Luxembourg, who won last year's showpiece event of the Irish Champions Festival by defeating French-trained duo Onesto and Vadeni, has also added the Tattersalls Gold Cup to his top-level CV this season.
Luxembourg's last two runs have been at Ascot, where he finished second to Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales's Stakes before placing fourth in the King George. On the other hand, Auguste Rodin, who has won the dual Derby, proved to be a bitter disappointment in the King George race. O'Brien could not find an apparent reason for Auguste Rodin's listless display, but he hopes that the horse will bounce back at Leopardstown on September 9.
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is a Group One flat horse race that is held annually in Ireland. The race is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older, and it is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs. The race is one of the most prestigious events in the Irish flat racing calendar, and it attracts some of the best horses, trainers, and jockeys from around the world.
The Mastermind Behind Irish Racing
Aidan O'Brien is one of the most successful trainers in the history of Irish racing. He has trained numerous champions, including Galileo, Giant's Causeway, and Rock of Gibraltar. O'Brien has won the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes nine times, which is a record for any trainer.
The Leopardstown racecourse is located in Dublin, Ireland, and it is one of the most famous racecourses in the world. The racecourse has hosted numerous prestigious events, including the Irish Grand National, the Irish Champion Stakes, and the Irish Derby. The racecourse has a capacity of 18,000 spectators, and it is known for its challenging courses and exciting finishes.
In conclusion, the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is set to be a thrilling event, with Aidan O'Brien's Luxembourg and Auguste Rodin expected to put up a great fight. The race will take place at Leopardstown on September 9, and it promises to be a spectacular day of racing.
“We’re very happy with Luxembourg, everything has gone very well. The King George is a tough race and he was on the pace,” said the Ballydoyle handler. “The plan is at the moment both he and Auguste Rodin are going to Leopardstown. Really we don’t know what happened to Auguste in the King George. He was drawn very wide and trapped very wide and he came off the bridle a lot earlier than Ryan (Moore) would have thought.
“His first impulse was to protect the horse and he was very surprised what happened. Before he had to ask too much he just pulled him up and that’s the reality of the situation. It’s probably a blessing in disguise as if he came off the bridle at the stage he was probably going to get a very tough race. For a baby 3YO he was probably lucky he didn’t get into a brawl and he came home very well.”
O’Brien suggested that Auguste Rodin, a progeny of Japanese stallion Deep Impact, is unlikely to continue racing as a 4YO, regardless of the outcome at Leopardstown.
“He’s such a unique horse pedigree-wise he’s kind of irreplaceable really,” he said.