Los Angeles to headline Aidan O'Brien's Arc team
- Planet Sport writer
- 16 hours ago
Los Angeles will lead the way for Aidan O’Brien at next weekend’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but Auguste Rodin is waiting in the wings if conditions at ParisLongchamp quicken.
Aidan O’Brien is hoping to land Europe’s richest middle-distance prize for the third time next Sunday, having done so with Dylan Thomas in 2007 and Found in 2016.
However, O’Brien is keen to also give himself the option of adding Auguste Rodin to his squad of runners.
The six-time Group One winner is scheduled to bow out and head to stud after running in the Japan Cup later in the autumn, but a trip to France could serve as the ideal tune-up for his swansong if his favoured quick ground appears in the going description.
O’Brien said: “The plan is for Los Angeles to go, but Auguste Rodin has been kept on the go just in case the ground came up on the fast side, which it probably won’t.
“Last year I didn’t do it and it came up fast, so I said I won’t make the same mistake this time.
“He’ll probably be going straight to Japan, unless the ground is going to be quick at Longchamp.
“The plan is for Continuous to go and probably Luxembourg.”
Two Ballydoyle inmates that will not be in the Arc reckoning are star stayer Kyprios and Nassau Stakes winner Opera Singer.
The former will instead attempt to recreate his astonishing Prix du Cadran success of two years ago, while Opera Singer will return to 10 furlongs and go for the Prix de l’Opera after struggling over a mile and a half in the Prix Vermeille.
“Kyprios will go for the Cadran,” continued O’Brien.
“If Opera Singer goes it will probably be for the mile-and-a-quarter fillies’ race.”
