'Nowhere near good to firm anywhere' - Aidan O'Brien blames Ascot ground for Auguste Rodin's King George defeat

Aidan O'Brien has blamed the ground at Ascot for Auguste Rodin's King George defeat, saying it was "nowhere near good to firm anywhere". 

The Prince of Wales's Stakes winner was sent off favourite for the contest for the second year in a row but was once again comprehensively beaten, this time in fifth behind Goliath, with his trainer criticising the official going description of good to firm, good in places.

"When we walked the track we were very worried," O'Brien said. "It was good, good to soft in places. It was nowhere near good to firm anywhere. It was cut up on the rails and full of sand."

Auguste Rodin tracked his stablemates Hans Andersen and Luxembourg on the inside in the early stages, and O'Brien felt his early positioning was another contributing factor to his below-par performance.

"We knew we had no choice and we had to go down there," he said. "With the benefit of hindsight we should have kept out of the bad ground and on the quicker ground. 

"Luxembourg pulled a front and a back shoe and that suggests tacky ground, and that added up to what we thought. That's the way it is and that's the way it fell for us today. There will be other days."

Goliath leaves his rivals trailing in the King GeorgeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Auguste Rodin, a son of the late Japanese superstar Deep Impact, was slated to head to that corner of the world for his next start. However, future targets are now up in the air. 

O'Brien said: "The plan was to run here and to go on to the Japan Cup, perhaps with a run in between somewhere, but I don't know now. We'll see how he is and what the lads want to do."

Luxembourg finished a place behind Auguste Rodin in sixth, while O'Brien's other runner, the pacemaker Hans Andersen, trailed in last of nine. 

Ascot clerk of the course Chris Stickels defended his decision to water the course on Friday evening and said the times of the big races on the round course supported the official description. 

"The times indicate it's as described on the round course," he said. "It was a fast time in the King George and the Valiant time also indicated a mixture of good to firm and good ground. 

"On the straight course the times have indicated more like good ground. We put 3mm of water on last night so yes, it was watered, but I don’t think the going description is vastly inaccurate.”

Runners make their way out on the track at Ascot on King George dayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Of the other beaten horses, Charlie Appleby was far more effusive about the performance of Rebel's Romance, who ran respectably to finish third under William Buick.

"That was a solid run against some of the best he'll have faced for a few years," Appleby said. "William said he got a great run. He's gone to win his race and found the length he'd normally find, but there were younger, potentially classier horses coming over the top of him.

"We'll be back on our travels. He might join the American team or he might go to Germany and then to the Hong Kong Vase."

Read more . . .

Goliath produces giant-killing display to easily win King George at 25-1 under Christophe Soumillon 

King George expert jury: was Goliath's Ascot triumph a fluke or is the winner a true giant? 

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