O’Brien unhappy with Ascot ground after Auguste Rodin falters

‘Nowhere was it good to firm and it was cut up on the rails, it was full of sand.’

Aidan O’Brien has questioned the advertised going after Auguste Rodin was a beaten favourite in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes for the second year in a row.

It looked like the son of Deep Impact had erased his Ascot demons when winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting, but his King George hoodoo remains after he could finish only fifth as the 7-4 market leader.

With his best performances coming on quick ground, forecast conditions looked perfect for the multiple Group One scorer to showcase his top form en route to the Japan Cup.

However, he was beaten with over a furlong still to run, with O’Brien left to question the underfoot conditions following his earlier walk of the course.

O’Brien said: “When we walked the track, we were very worried then. It was good, good to soft in places. Nowhere was it good to firm and it was cut up on the rails, it was full of sand.

“We knew we had no choice, that’s where we were, we had to go down there – and with the benefit of hindsight, we should have come off the bad ground and out onto the quicker ground.

“That’s the way it is and that’s the way it fell for us today. Listen, there will be other days.

“The plan was to run here and go on to the Japan Cup, but when we walked the track, we were worried. We were going to go to the Japan Cup and maybe give him a run in between somewhere, so we will see how he is and what the lads want to do.”

It was left to Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking to fill the position of bridesmaid to runaway French raider Goliath and connections could now begin dreaming of trips to Paris later in the year, having followed up her maiden Group One win in the Pretty Polly Stakes with this brave effort in defeat.

“She ran an absolute stormer, we’re over the moon and she’s beaten some proper horses,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager of owners Juddmonte.

“It’s a great run and congratulations to Francis with the winner, his horse was awesome today.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Two – Ascot Racecourse
Trainer Ralph Beckett (John Walton/PA).

“It was a breakneck pace from start to finish, she was able to relax and Rossa (Ryan) was able to get her into a nice position and we knew she would finish off well – she did, but there was one too good for us today.

“We’ll just see how she is and that is two hard races in a month now. Ralph will see how she comes out of it and races like the Yorkshire Oaks, Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe are all on the cards – and we’ll let her tell us where she wants to go.

“In fairness, Ralph has done a remarkable job with her and Rossa gets on so well with her and everything we hoped she would become, she has become, so it is great.”

Meanwhile, it appears Rebel’s Romance will be back on the road after Charlie Appleby’s globetrotting six-year-old finished an honourable third in his quest to land a first Group One victory on home soil.

“It was a solid run again and realistically, on some paper form, this is the strongest depth of race he has been in,” said Appleby.

“Will (Buick) said he got a great run round there and he’s gone to win his race and found the length he would normally find, but there are younger, potentially classier horses coming over the top of you nowadays.

QIPCO King George Day – Ascot Racecourse – Saturday 27th July
Goliath was an impressive winner of the King George (Steven Paston/PA).

“In respects to where we go, we will be back on our travels, needless to say, with a horse who maintains plenty of enthusiasm to be competing at the top level. There are going to be opportunities abroad for him and that was a solid run against some of the best he will have faced for a few years.

“He might join the American team or he might go to Germany and then to the (Hong Kong) Vase.”

In response to O’Brien’s earlier comments about the ground, clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: “The times don’t indicate that (it is good, good to soft) from the round course.

“The times indicate it is as described on the round course. On the straight course, the times have indicated more like good ground.

“It was a fast time in the King George and the Valiant time also indicated a mixture of good to firm and good ground.

“We did put 3mm of water on last night, so yes, it was watered, but I don’t think the going description is vastly inaccurate.”

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