Auguste Rodin Likely Breeders’ Cup-Bound

[Wandering Eyes]

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in November is likely on the agenda for classic winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed on Sunday. The Coolmore and Westerberg colorbearer earned a trip to California with his triumph in Saturday's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying event for the 1 1/2-mile GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.

“The lads love the Breeders' Cup and he's a lovely horse for it,” O'Brien said. “They will decide, but he'd love that ground. He's a beautiful mover. He won in Doncaster [the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. as a juvenile] on heavy and we couldn't believe that he did it, but it was probably just sheer ability.

“We'll take our time and see how he is, but I'd imagine it will be something like [the Breeders' Cup].”

O'Brien also indicated Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), runner-up to his stablemate in the Irish Champion S., could head to France in an attempt to improve off of his seventh-place finish in last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

“He could go to the Arc,” O'Brien said. “He wouldn't mind as long as the ground is not heavy, and over a mile and a half we know to ride him like a horse that just gets a mile and a half.

“He doesn't want to go any further, but we are learning about him all the time. It was a massive run yesterday.”

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