Auguste Rodin can enhance his growing reputation at Doncaster
Auguste Rodin has made impressive start by wining his last two races and the son of Deep Impact can enhance his growing reputation at Doncaster
- Auguste Rodin can enhance his standing in Saturday’s Vertem Futurity Stakes
- Ballydoyle fire two bullets at the marquee juvenile event at Doncaster
- Niall Houlihan cab build on successful relationship with Editeur Du Gite
Auguste Rodin (Doncaster. 3.35) has carved out quite a reputation in his three starts to date and can enhance his standing in Saturday’s Vertem Futurity Stakes.
The Ballydoyle think tank have never hidden the esteem in which they hold the son of Deep Impact and he has done little to disprove the faith, winning his last two, including in Group Two company at Leopardstown last month.
Following that smooth defeat of Caroline Street, trainer Aidan O’Brien was moved to say: ‘He has plenty of class, and we thought he could be the type of horse to do both the Guineas and the Derby.’
Auguste Rodin can enhance his standing in Saturday’s Vertem Futurity Stakes at Doncaster
While O’Brien is rarely one to play down the abilities of his inmates, Auguste Rodin is clearly out of the top drawer, and he was probably better than the winning margin last time as he looked to pull himself up when hitting the front.
That was due more to immaturity rather than anything untoward and the selection appears a colt of rare potential, even if still a little raw.
Hopefully today’s assignment will not come to soon in his education and Auguste Rodin can head into the winter on the back of a Group One win, strengthening his position at the head of the Epsom ante-post lists in the process.
Ballydoyle fire two bullets at the marquee juvenile event and it would be wrong to dismiss Salt Lake City as he too looked a smart prospect at Navan on soft ground earlier this month.
A mile on deep ground at that venue is not for the feint hearted so to see a juvenile power clear in the manner he managed suggests he is well above average.
Jockey Niall Houlihan has struck up a successful relationship with Editeur Du Gite
Doncaster has seen plenty of rain in the lead up to this afternoon’s fixture and that will not concern Salt Lake City, who looks capable of filling the frame at the very least.
Niall Houlihan has struck up a successful relationship with EDITEUR DU GITE (Cheltenham, 3.15) and the combination may enjoy further joy at Prestbury Park.
The talented conditional rider has won both of his starts aboard the eight-year-old, with both triumphs achieved at Cheltenham before the turn of last year.
Given the selection shoulders top weight, connections have been swift to utilise Houlihan’s claim, but it could be more a case of the rider’s experience aboard the gelding rather than three pounds in weight which makes the difference.
Editeur Du Gite’s only blip at Cheltenham came in last season’s Grand Annual Chase where a deluge on the day blunted the selection’s potency.
In the circumstances, Gary Moore’s gelding still performed with great credit in bottomless ground, only forsaking the runners-up berth on the run-in, and can go close here.
Earlier on the card, there is another duel between PIED PIPER (Cheltenham, 2.40) and Knight Salute.
The score between the two old adversaries stands at one apiece, with the latter gaining revenge in the Aintree stewards’ room after the duo dead-heated in dramatic circumstances at the National meeting back in the spring.
Pied Piper finished well in front of his rival when they met here in the Triumph Hurdle and rider Davy Russell was kicking himself for not holding on to his mount for longer on Merseyside in April.
Russell is sure to have learned from his error and, with trainer Gordon Elliott reporting Pied Piper to be in rude health, he could edge ahead in the match-up.
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