Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Auguste Rodin should claim Futurity Trophy
AUGUSTE Rodin is expected to enhance his 2023 Classic credentials with victory in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
Aidan O’Brien has won the final Group One of the domestic season with some very smart ones over the years – the likes of Camelot and St Nicholas Abbey among them – and in this Deep Impact colt he again has obvious claims.
Beaten only on his debut by the subsequent Beresford Stakes winner Crypto Force, O’Brien’s charge had no trouble shedding his maiden tag after that at Naas before going to Irish Champions Weekend and picking up Group Two honours.
While not overly spectacular there, he equally was always doing enough and O’Brien was glowing in his praise afterwards.
A Ballydoyle double is on the cards, with Aesop’s Fables setting a high standard in the Carlsberg Marstons Doncaster Stakes.
He had shaped as a smart prospect himself when returning to the fray from a lay-off at the Curragh in August, making it reasonable to try him in the National Stakes and, most recently, the Dewhurst. Although he came up short in those, this Listed event represents calmer waters and coming back to six furlongs will not do him any harm either.
Roger Teal can enjoy a big-race victory at Newbury with Caragio, who goes in the Horris Hill Stakes.
The impression he made when second first time up was confirmed at Leicester earlier this month, really taking the eye in moving powerfully and looking to have plenty left when pretty useful yardstick Highbank came to him. That he is turning out to be potentially smart is not a surprise, as he is a half-brother to Teal’s 2000 Guineas runner-up Tip Two Win.
Definitely smart is Hamish, who is hard to oppose in the St Simon Stakes. William Haggas’ six-year-old is well capable of mixing it with the best and gave the mighty Kyprios a real race in the Irish St Leger, after which he made no mistake as a short-priced favourite in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot.
The final afternoon of the season opener at Cheltenham could have a very ‘March’ feel to it with an Irish domination, specifically a Gordon Elliott domination.
Elliott has chances all through the card at Prestbury Park, but West trainer Joe Tizzard’s The Widdow Maker can strike a blow for the home team with victory in the £60,000 888Sport Handicap Chase.