'He would definitely be the one' - Auguste Rodin the cream of the crop as Aidan O'Brien ponders Triple Crown bid

If Aidan O’Brien is to end the 53-year wait for another Triple Crown winner this season the master trainer believes there is only one horse capable of achieving the feat – and that is Auguste Rodin. 

Not since Nijinsky in 1970 has a horse won the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger, but O’Brien went closer than anybody in 2012 when Camelot completed the first two legs only to lose out to Encke at Doncaster. 

Speaking at a press morning at Ballydoyle on Monday, O’Brien described his three-year-olds as a “very classy crop”, and Auguste Rodin sits at the top of that pecking order after supplying his trainer with a record-extending 11th success in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October. 

When asked whether Auguste Rodin might potentially be the horse to add the Triple Crown to a training CV which has just about every other achievement on it, O’Brien replied: “If we have a horse who could do that, he would definitely be the one.”

Aidan O'Brien addresses the press at Ballydoyle on Monday morningCredit: Patrick McCann

He added: “You would imagine he would have no bother stretching out to a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. He’s that type of horse. He is the type that could start in the Guineas and stretch out in trip after that. He was always very classy, always. I remember Ryan [Moore] riding him in work as early as last February, as a two-year-old, and he was even raving about him back then.

“We nearly didn't run him at Doncaster because of the ground as he’s an exceptional mover. He’s very slick, a very long, very low mover. Everything went wrong in the race and he still won.”

Auguste Rodin is generally 4-1 joint-favourite to give O’Brien an 11th victory in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket along with stablemate Little Big Bear. The two colts may reside in the same training establishment but they could not be more different. While there is Triple Crown talk about Auguste Rodin, Little Big Bear's speed could mean a return to sprinting. 

Little Big Bear: Guineas joint-favourite could drop back in distance after Classic bidCredit: Patrick McCann

The explosive Phoenix Stakes winner and officially the champion juvenile of 2022 is set to try a mile in either the English, Irish or French Guineas and O'Brien thinks his relaxed way of racing gives him every chance of staying. 

He said: “What he did in the Phoenix was just different. He would be very comfortable and happy to go back sprinting any time, but there’s a very good chance he'll get a mile. He races very relaxed. Both Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear will be aimed at Newmarket and then the lads will have to decide whether they will let the two of them run together or split them up.”

With Statuette, a general 6-1 shot, set to miss the Qipco 1,000 Guineas due to a setback, Meditate is now very much the Ballydoyle number one for the first fillies' Classic of the season at Newmarket and O’Brien was happy with her Curragh workout after racing on Saturday. 

O’Brien said: “Meditate came out of the Curragh well. I was delighted with her there. She'll go straight to the Guineas now. She gained plenty of experience last year as a two-year-old.”

Some of Aidan O'Brien's powerful string head out to work at BallydoyleCredit: Patrick McCann

Last year’s Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg will remain in training as a four-year-old and O’Brien has already mapped out his campaign, kicking off in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp.

“He looks great,” he said. "The plan is to start him off in the Prix Ganay. He was at the Curragh at the weekend and we’re very happy with what he did there. Physically he has done very well since last year. We’re thinking of the Ganay, the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot and then on we go from there to the autumn. 

“He had a tough race in the Champion Stakes last year after missing a bit of time after the Guineas. It was a good, competitive race at Leopardstown, but because he had the time off in the middle of the season, I think it probably took its toll on him a little bit. We’re looking forward to him now. There could be plenty more to come, I hope.”

Qipco 2,000 Guineas (3.40 Newmarket, May 6)

William Hill: 7-2 Little Big Bear, 4 Auguste Rodin, 8 Chaldean, 10 Noble Style, Nostrum, Sakheer, 14 Al Riffa, 16 Mysterious Night, Royal Scotsman, 20 bar

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'We couldn't be happier with him' - Guineas principals please O'Brien in Curragh workout 

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