Three Group I races for juveniles overnight in the UK and France and all won by first time G1 winners, two by legendary sires and the third by ill-fated 2018 European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion.
The Group I Futurity Trophy (1m) at Doncaster was won by the favourite, blue-blood Deep Impact colt Auguste Rodin trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore.
It’s the final UK G1 of the flat season and has produced a number of Classic winners since 2020 including Derby winners High Chapparal, Motivator, Authorized and Camelot as well as 2,000 Guineas winners such as Saxon Warrior, Magna Grecia and Kameko with Auguste Rodin sure to try and emulate their success.
Auguste Rodin won by three and a half lengths and has now won three in a row following a debut second placing.
“I'd say he'd have no problem starting off in the Guineas, he has a lot of class. He'll love good ground at Newmarket and you'd imagine he'll get a mile and a quarter on his ear. Usually if horses are that good and that classy they don't have any problem getting a mile and a half. He looks to have all the right things,” said Aidan O'Brien.
Bred and raced by the Coolmore partners, Auguste Rodin is the first foal of champion Galileo filly Rhododendron, a full sister to another champion filly in Magical from Group I winner Halfway to Heaven.
Auguste Rodin is the 57th Group I winner for the late Japanese champion sire Deep Impact and is his sixth stakes-winner bred from a daughter of Galileo, the nick running at 15% SW to runner producing two Group I winners for Coolmore in Snowfall and Saxon Warrior who is currently covering in Australia this spring.
The Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (2000m) is the race won last year by El Bodegon, who ran bravely for third at his first Australian start in the Group I MVRC Cox Plate on Saturday. This year’s winner was Dubai Mile, a progressive colt by Roaring Lion trained by Charlie and Mark Johnston.
A last start second in the Group II Royal Lodge Stakes following on from two novice conditions wins, Dubai Mile showed boundless courage to outpoint Frankel colt Arrester and win by a head.
Bought by his trainer for just 20,000 euros at the Goffs Orby Sale, Dubail Mile runs for Ahmad al Shaikh and is the first stakes-winner and first Group I winner from the one and only crop of foals sired by Roaring Lion. He stood for one season at Tweenhills Stud and died on his first shuttle trip to New Zealand before covering a mare.
Bred by Skymarc Farm, Dubai Mile is a half-brother to stakes-winners Naadir and Beach Belle, the dam of Australian Group II winner Surf Dancer (IRE). He is the best of nine winners from nine to race from stakes-winning High Chaparral mare Beach Bunny.
The Group I Saint-Cloud Criterium International (1600m) was won by Galileo colt Proud and Regal trained by Donnacha O’Brien .
A last start second in the Group I National Stakes at the Curragh, Proud and Regal got the nod in a stirring finish to beat another Galileo colt Espionage trained by his father Aidan O’Brien.
Already a Group III winner, Proud and Regal has the overall record of three wins and two placings from five starts.
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Proud and Regal is a full brother to Group III winner Mekong River and is a brother-in-blood to Group III winners Bondi Beach and Constantinople being the fourth winner from Danehill’s dual Group I winner Simply Perfect.
Proud and Regal is the 97th Group I winner for the late champion sire Galileo and is the 18th Group I winner for him from a daughter of Danehill.
