Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear on track for Newmarket

Gary Carson
March 25, 2023 7:38 pm

Star three-year-olds were among Ballydoyle workers after racing at the Curragh.

Derby favourite Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear pleased Aidan O’Brien as the Ballydoyle trainer took a strong team of horses to gallop after racing at the Curragh on Saturday.

Auguste Rodin, a three-year-old son of Deep Impact, was seen four times in his juvenile season, finishing second on debut but then ending his campaign with success in both the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes and the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.

Little Big Bear was also beaten on debut then landed his next four races, taking the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot before stepping up in grade to claim the Anglesey Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes.

Auguste Rodin ahead of his gallop @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/oliLQkbE9z
— Irishracing.com Live (@IrishRacing365) March 25, 2023

Both horses are headed in the direction of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and worked behind The Antarctic, a horse bound for a sprint campaign alongside stablemate Aesop’s Fables.

O’Brien said: “Little Big Bear, you’d have to be very happy with him as he hasn’t seen a track since the Phoenix Stakes. Seamus (Heffernan) said he was a bit on the bridle, a bit fresh, but travelled and finished very well.

“Wayne (Lordan) was very happy with Auguste Rodin. He was relaxed and did everything right. You couldn’t be happier with him.

“Obviously he’ll be looking at the Guineas. He’ll definitely go there without a run.

Classic hopeful Little Big Bear at the Curragh (Healy Racing)

“When you are following up the likes of The Antarctic there, there are very few races you’d get as strong as that piece of work. They are highly-rated horses.

“Little Big Bear finished out very easy and Seamus seemed very happy. That was seven and a half furlongs today and he’ll go straight to the Guineas as well.

“We’ll take them home now and see how they are.”

He added: “We were very happy with The Antarctic. He’s probably going to go sprinting. Aesop’s Fables is the same, he’ll go sprinting. The Antarctic seems very versatile ground-wise.”

Tenebrism is another horse bound for a season of sprinting, whereas Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate has a 1000 Guineas bid as her immediate early-season target.

Tenebrism, Thoughts Of June, Point Lonsdale, Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg and Emily Dickinson all worked also and have pencilled-in plans for the earlier and latter stages of the campaign.

Luxembourg enjoyed a workout at the Curragh (Healy Racing)

O’Brien said: “Tenebrism is going to go sprinting this year. Thoughts Of June will go for a mile-and-a-half fillies’ Group Three. Meditate will go straight to the Guineas.

“We haven’t seen Point Lonsdale out since the Guineas and Seamus was very happy with him. He might go to the Mooresbridge.

“Wayne was very happy with Luxembourg. He’ll probably start in the Ganay in France and then come here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Physically he’s done very well.

“Emily Dickinson will probably go the Gold Cup route and she’ll start in Navan in the Vintage Crop Stakes. She was very good over two miles here and when she stepped up in trip was by far her best.”

Tower Of London, beaten by Auguste Rodin on Irish Champions Weekend but a winner on debut, also worked and his trainer is sure he has more to offer.

He said: “Dylan (Browne McMonagle) rode Tower Of London and he was very happy with him. We thought he was a very good horse, he won his maiden in Leopardstown and then ran very keen in the race that Auguste Rodin won.

“He didn’t run after that and obviously that wasn’t his run. He looked very impressive the day he won.”