Auguste Rodin, who has already carved out a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) via his Prince of Wales (G1) win at Royal Ascot in June, will face early favorite Economics and six others in Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes (G1) on opening day on Irish Champions weekend at Leopardstown.
November 4, 2023: Auguste Rodin (5), ridden by Ryan Moore, wins the Longines Breedersí Cup Turf on Breedersí Cup Championship Saturday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. John Voorhees/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders’ Cup
Three Breeders’ Cup ‘WAYI’ berths on line at Leopardstown
The Irish Champion is one of three Breeders’ Cup challenge races at Leopardstown, along with the Matron Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf and the Champions Juvenile Stakes.
Last seen finishing fifth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (G1) at Ascot in July, Auguste Rodin, a 4-year-old son of Deep Impact, parlayed his victory in last year’s Irish Champion Stakes to a rousing three-quarter length victory in the 2023 Turf at Santa Anita.
Overall, the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt is 8-2-0 from 14 career starts, including six Group/Grade 1 wins, for earnings of more than $5.8 million.
“Auguste Rodin is in very good form, and we were all delighted with his last piece of work,” O’Brien, who also will saddle Irish Derby winner Los Angeles, 2022 Irish Champion winner Luxembourg and Hans Andersen. “Everything has gone very well with him in the lead-up to the race and we couldn’t be happier really.”
Regular rider Ryan Moore has the call.
The 1 ¼-mile Irish Champion will mark the first Group 1 Economics, who is 3-for-3 this year including wins in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (G2) at Deauville and the Dante (G2) at York.
“It’s an Irish Champion Stakes and a proper one, it’s not an easy race and there are proven Group 1 horses in there,” said regular rider Tom Marquand. “It’s a deep field and to win he’s going to have to be every bit as good as we’re hoping he’s going to be.”
Other entrants include Ghostwriter, Shin Emperor and Royal Rhyme.
The winner will gain an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $5 million BC Turf.
Two other “Win and You’re In” berths will also be awarded at Leopardstown, with the winner of the 1-mile Matron earning an automatic starting position into the $2 million BC Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the winner of the Champions Juvenile (G2) getting a free spot into the $1 million BC Juvenile Turf (G1).
The picks: 1 Auguste Rodin 2 Economics 3 Ghostwriter
Portuna tops Matron
A field of 10 will go postward in the Matron, headed by Coronation Stakes (G1) winner Porta Fortuna, who was second in last year’s BC Filly & Mare Turf.
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained daughter of Caravaggio finished second in the 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in May before back-to-back victories at Royal Ascot in the Coronation Stakes (G1) and at Newmarket in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1).
Last year’s Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) winner Fallen Angel will be bidding for a third Group 1 victory on Irish turf and comes in sporting the silks of Wanthan Racing for the first time.
Other notable entrants include Group 1 winner Ylang Ylang, the unbeaten 3-year-old Jancis, Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Vespertilio and Rogue Millennium, third behind Porta Fortuna in the Falmouth Stakes (G1) in July.
The picks: 1 Fallen Angel 2 Porta Fortuna 3 Verpertillo
O’Brien seeks third straight Champions Juvenile
Delacroix and Bernard Shaw will be attempting to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a third straight victory in the 1-mile Champions Juvenile, which also drew Green Impact, who took the Frank Conroy EBF Maiden in July, and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Green Triangle.
Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor’s Delacroix is the favorite in the KPMG Champions Juvenile, which awards the winner a free berth into the BC Juvenile Turf (G1).
A field of four was entered.
The picks: 1 Delacroix 2 Green Triangle 3 Green Impact
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
