Auguste Rodin lands Aidan O'Brien his ninth Epsom Derby victory
- Planet Sport writer
- 3 June 2023
Aidan O’Brien collects a record-breaking ninth Derby as Auguste Rodin triumphs at Epsom.
Auguste Rodin swooped to grab Betfred Derby glory for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.
Sent off favourite for last month's 2000 Guineas, Auguste Rodin was hugely disappointing - but stepped up to 12 furlongs at Epsom, he bounced right back to his best.
Settled in mid-division as stablemates San Antonio and Adelaide River dictated terms up front, with Frankie Dettori in his final Derby aboard Arrest and Sir Michael Stoute's Passenger also close by, Moore was content to let the action unfold as Kevin Stott aboard the 66/1 outsider King Of Steel made an audacious bid for home after rounding Tattenham Corner.
However, Roger Varian's imposing runner soon had a target on his back and with Auguste Rodin eating into King Of Steel's advantage with every stride, the highly-regarded colt was soon powering his way to pass that rival to give Moore his third Derby victory.
White Birch ran on for third with Artistic Star taking fourth.
Moore told ITV Racing: "We had a smooth run. We landed in a smooth spot, I had William (Buick, on Military Order) and Frankie (Dettori, on Arrest) ahead of me and was always confident I had them covered.
"We didn't go that quick, it turned in to a bit of a dash, but I was getting a nice smooth run. He was a bit babyish, I always thought I had the race won, but I just had to get into him in the last furlong there and he responded very gamely. He's done that quite cosily, I think."
On the training performance of O'Brien to get Auguste Rodin back to his best, he said: "He's the only man that could do it. I've seen him get horses back. There's been horses that have run bad in the Guineas and have come back. Roderic O'Connor springs to mind and a few others, even Qualify ran bad in a Guineas and came and won an Oaks. Aidan can just do things.
"This horse has a great pedigree, he's always shown he's a good horse. As Aidan says, everyone does such a good job at home and everything went smooth today."
O'Brien said: "All the people in Coolmore have made this happen - this is a total homebred horse. It's all credit to them to make this happen every day. He came with a massive reputation as a beautiful horse but he kept stepping up to all the markers all the way, which is very unusual.
"He's totally unique - he's out of one of the greatest Galileo mares (Rhododendron) by the greatest stallion ever in Japan. I can't tell you, he's totally unique.
"Ryan said it probably didn't suit him, he would have preferred a lot stronger pace but he said he had to quicken twice, so obviously he's so exciting for us.
"I feel so grateful and so delighted for all the lads, everyone. It's a great pleasure for us."
