Although Aidan O’Brien had already won the Irish Derby 14 times his stable jockey, Ryan Moore, had never won it. It remained the only classic in Britain and Ireland to have eluded him. Moore put that right today on Auguste Rodin, giving O’Brien that record-extending 15th Irish Derby win and also giving the trainer his 100th European Classic success into the bargain.
The long odds-on favourite had come into the Irish Derby having looked impressive in the Epsom equivalent and the horse he beat into second there, King Of Steel, had franked the form strongly at Royal Ascot when taking the King Edward VII Stakes.
But the Irish Derby is never an easy race to win and in the end Auguste Rodin had to battle hard to get the better of stablemate Adelaide River, a 33/1 outsider who finished much closer to the winner than he had done when only 8th at Epsom.
On a day when gusting winds blew across the Curragh winning jockey Moore reported the pace was slower than he’d have liked while also suggesting that the fatal injury and fall sustained by front running San Antonio, another of the O’Brien runners, had led to things not going entirely to plan.
“We went quite slow and, because of what happened to Wayne [Lordan, jockey on San Antonio], it wasn’t smooth,” he said. “He was just in front of me. I had to switch back in and back out and I just don’t think it was quite right. I’ve had to ask him to go there and he has shut down a bit. It was an unusual race, stop-start. Today I don’t think the race showed him to best effect.”
O’Brien’s achievement in winning his 15th Derby was recognised by owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Coolmore supremo John Magnier, all of whom paid tribute to the now legendary trainer’s skills while Tabor called out O’Brien’s work ethic as a key factor in his success. “The work he puts in, if you saw him every day, and I mean every day, he loves what he does,” Tabor said.
Plans for Auguste Rodin’s next race were not confirmed but it is possible he’ll now go to Ascot for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes although much will depend on how he comes out of this race.
