There were two Group I races run at Leopardstown in Ireland overnight and they both produced exceptional three year-old winners by champion sires Deep Impact and Siyouni.
Epsom and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin was out to restore his reputation following a mystifying last placing in the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July.
Aidan O’Brien turned the blue-blood colt out in peak condition and under a perfect Ryan Moore ride he was too good for his stablemate Luxembourg winning the Group I Irish Champion Stakes (1m2f) by a half a length with high class Frankel mare Nashwa in third place just ahead of Wootton Bassett’s top class three year-old colt King of Steel.
“We're delighted with Auguste Rodin, he's a beautiful mover and easy-cruising horse. I couldn't be happier with him. His action is so slick and so much went wrong for him at Ascot; he's obviously not a soft-ground horse,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“You'd say you wouldn't go to the Arc on soft ground, but if it came up nice ground you'd be delighted. The lads love the Breeders' Cup though and you know you're going to get fast ground at Santa Anita, so that's a strong possibility. I’d say it would be for the Turf, I’d be afraid of the dirt just in case anything happened.”
Auguste Rodin has the overall record of six wins and a second from nine starts and four of those wins are in G1 races.
He is the first winner for Galileo’s Champion 2YO Filly and Older Female Miler Filly and triple Group I winner Rhododendron. A full sister to seven time Group I winner Magical from Group I winning Pivotal mare Halfway to Heaven, this is an exceptional family that has also produced Group I winners Photo Call and Victoria Road, who is by Deep Impact stallion Saxon Warrior.
Auguste Rodin is the third G1 winner among seven stakes-winners bred by Deep Impact from daughters of Galileo. The nick has produced 29 winners from 41 runners, so 70% winner to runner and 17% SW to runner.
The Group I Matron stakes (1m) for fillies and mares delivered a fourth Group I win for the Dermot Weld trained Siyouni filly Tahiyra, who beat the older mares by a length and a quarter as favourite.
“Tahiyra was 8-10 kilos heavier today than when she won at Royal Ascot. Obviously the Breeders' Cup has to be a possibility and a decision will be made on whether she's kept in training for next year,” said Dermot Weld.
Tahiyra is a homebred filly for the Aga Khan and is a half-sister to triple Group I winner and 2021 Champion European Older Mare Tarnawa from stakes-winner Cape Cross mare Tarana.
She is one of three Group I winners this year for Siyouni, whose star Australian mare Amelia’s Jewel won a barrier trial in Perth last week as she prepares for an Eastern States spring campaign.
