Aidan O’Brien is sticking to his original plan with Auguste Rodin, despite his disappointing effort in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.
Winner of both the Derby and the Irish Derby last year, the Deep Impact colt had produced lacklustre efforts in both the 2000 Guineas and King George at Ascot either side of those Classic victories.
He ended his season by winning both the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita, but never looked like getting involved on his return to action in Dubai, coming home last of 12 runners.
O’Brien felt the race did not suit and will look to get his campaign back on track in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on 26 May.
“He’s well and we just put a line through the race. It was a tactical affair and we just got caught in the wrong part of it,” said O’Brien.
“The good thing about Ryan (Moore) is when things go wrong like that, he accepts it very quickly and the horse doesn’t get a hard race.
“We are looking at going to the Curragh (for the Tattersalls Gold Cup) if everything goes fine.”
At Leopardstown today, O’Brien’s Battle Cry came from last to first to win the Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes.
The colt was last seen at Doncaster in October, when he went to post for the Group One Futurity Trophy but was withdrawn at the start having become upset in the stalls.
Prior to that he had chased home his stablemate Mountain Bear at Dundalk and the winner paid him a huge compliment when subsequently second at the Breeders’ Cup.
In what looked a strong field against the likes of Atlantic Coast, the in-form Take Me To Church and his own stable companions Samuel Colt and The Liffey, both once-raced maiden winners, Battle Cry was sent off a 10-1 chance.
He looked to have plenty to do when the field turned into the straight but when Ryan Moore gave the signal, the No Nay Never colt quickened up impressively to win by half a length from Samuel Colt.
“We saw what happened to him in Doncaster last year. He just panicked but never did it before or after,” said O’Brien.
“Ryan gave him a very good ride. He’d prefer better ground and looks like he’ll get a mile. It’s tough out there and you have to get home there today.
“He could be a horse for the French or the Irish Guineas.”
Dallas Star caused a 50-1 upset in the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.
The Amo Racing-owned winner finished nine lengths behind Charlie Appleby’s Derby candidate Arabian Crown in a Group Three at Newmarket in the autumn when trained by Dominic French Davis.
Switched to Adrian Murray over the winter, the Cloth Of Stars colt was sent into an early lead under Seamie Heffernan but had to battle back after Deepone struck the front.
Dallas Star handled the testing ground well, regaining the initiative in the straight to gallop home three lengths clear of O’Brien’s The Euphrates, whose stablemate and odds-on favourite Illinois was only third.
“We were on a mission today to see how we were going or where we were going to go next,” said Murray.
“He kept finding for him. Twice during the race I thought he was done for and he kept coming back.
“I never thought I’d see the day where we would be competing in the same race as Aidan O’Brien.
“I was so near to packing it in a few years ago and it’s amazing the way things can turn around. The horses are very healthy and that is a big thing.
“He’ll be entered in all the big races now I suppose and we’ll see where we go. I’ll have to chat to Kia (Joorabchian, owner) and Robson (Aguiar, part of the Amo team) and see where they want to go.
“He came to us over the winter.”
Leave a Reply