O’Brien doubles down on Ascot ground criticism over Auguste Rodin flop | Aidan O’Brien

Kyprios, the heavy favourite, continued to elevate Aidan O’Brien’s impressive tally of Group One victories at Goodwood on Tuesday with a commanding performance in the Goodwood Cup, setting a new course record. However, the main point of conversation post-race was still the missed opportunity of Saturday’s King George at Ascot.

In the wake of Auguste Rodin’s defeat as the 7-4 favourite at Ascot, O’Brien expressed his belief that the conditions were much softer than the stated good-to-firm, good in places. Chris Stickels, the course clerk, later maintained that the race times supported the official description, a sentiment echoed by the independent and reputable Timeform organization, which commented that it was “pretty close to the mark”.

On Tuesday, O’Brien reiterated his stance that “the ground was well-watered on the inside and had sand added, making it ride much slower than we anticipated,” while also acknowledging that “in hindsight,” the aggressive pace set by stable companions Hans Andersen and Luxembourg may have played a role.

“There’s no denying that I made a significant error of judgment, and I’m willing to admit it,” O’Brien stated. “We maintained a strong pace, but [Auguste Rodin] got pinned against the rail with William [Buick, on Rebel’s Romance] on Ryan’s outside, and those guys don’t give an inch out there.

“He’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse who can manage a mile-and-a-half. Considering his final position, with the sand coming back at him and the slow ground, he ran out of stamina.”

Auguste Rodin’s primary aim this season is the Japan Cup in November, where he can expect a warm welcome as a Derby-winning son of the legendary Deep Impact.

Following that, he is anticipated to retire to Coolmore Stud next year, and O’Brien emphasized that the defeat on Saturday—his fourth notable disappointment—does not impact his future as a stallion.

“He has the pedigree, the movement, the action; he possesses everything,” O’Brien remarked.

“We never considered him a gritty battler; he was never a Duke of Marmalade or anything like that. He has always been a very classy horse on fast ground. What excites us is that once horses retire to stud, those types like Duke of Marmalade often struggle to produce quality offspring. They may sire a few, but they don’t consistently pass on class to their progeny.

“We believe he will instill class into everything, and all he needs from the mares is a touch of toughness.”

Despite not winning the British Flat trainers’ championship since his sixth title in 2017, O’Brien is currently leading this year’s competition, and Kyprios’s four-length victory over Sweet William brought his total prize money to an impressive £283,550.

Now a five-year-old, Kyprios missed a significant portion of his four-year-old season due to injury and is unlikely to join the Coolmore stallion roster immediately.

“He has taken a liking to fillies, which is typical for his age,” O’Brien said. “Considering the heat and the females, everyone did remarkably well to get him to this point, and for him to achieve what he did today.

“The Gold Cup [at Ascot] is an essential race for him every year, and we will take good care of him for that,” O’Brien stated. “We might bring him back for an Irish St Leger [in September] again, and if he comes through that well, we’ll have him ready for next season.

“It’s important for us to be mindful and respectful of his condition; given where he has come from [due to his injury], it’s remarkable that he is competing today.”

Longfellow can score in Sussex

The Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday lost its probable favourite on Tuesday morning when Richard Hannon’s three-year-old Rosallion, who captured the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes, was declared out of the Group One event due to a respiratory issue.

Despite his absence, the market still anticipates a strong showing from the Classic generation, with Henry Longfellow and Notable Speech, who placed second and seventh respectively behind Rosallion at Ascot, contesting for the top spot in odds overnight.

Notable Speech previously secured a convincing victory in the 2,000 Guineas in May, but underperformed significantly on fast ground at Ascot, raising concerns about whether the drying conditions at Goodwood will be against him.

Similar worries surround Facteur Cheval, the runner-up on heavy ground last year.

Henry Longfellow (3.35), however, appeared well-adapted to a fast surface recently, and although Rosallion had more margin over him than the official neck suggests, Aidan O’Brien’s colt looks to be the safest choice in Wednesday’s limited field.

Goodwood 1.50 French Duke struggled to maintain his hold in the King George V Handicap at the Royal meeting last month, making a bold move five wide around the turn. Thus, it was no surprise when his effort faltered in the final stages. A hood is expected to help him settle better here, and the sharper track may also work in his favor.

Goodwood 2.25 After steady progress this season, Jabaara made a significant leap forward by finishing second in the Group One Falmouth Stakes last time, putting him in a strong position for this return to Group Three competition.

Goodwood 3.00 Mick Appleby has finally quashed any doubts regarding his capability to train elite juveniles when Big Evs triumphed in this juvenile speed test one year ago, and he returns with another intriguing entry in Mr Lightside. He significantly improved upon his debut form with a victory at Redcar in June and then progressed further to clinch a win at Nottingham last time, with two subsequent winners finishing second and fourth.