04 May 2023 , 12:55
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Auguste Rodin will head 14 horses set to line up in Saturday’s QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where victory could set up a rare Triple Crown challenge.
The colt is one of two runners for ten-time race-winning trainer Aidan O’Brien who will also saddle Little Big Bear in the first Classic of the season.
The English Triple Crown – the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas, Betfred Derby and Betfred St Leger - has not been won since Nijinsky in 1970, trained at O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables by his predecessor Vincent O’Brien.
Aidan O’Brien did train the most recent horse to attempt the Triple Crown, Camelot in 2012, who won at Newmarket and Epsom before finishing second in the St Leger.
“If we had a horse that could go for the Triple Crown this year, he was going to be it and we didn’t want to take away the chance from him if he was going to try it,” said O’Brien, during a British Champions Series press conference.
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“The Guineas is a great race and there is only one Guineas. We are going to learn a lot about him but if it goes well the plan has always been to go to The Derby next and if that goes well – let’s see what the lads want to do.
“It’s a very hard thing to do and some time it would be great to do it – if you don’t try, it won’t happen.”
Ryan Moore rides Auguste Rodin, the 11-8 favourite with William Hill, with Wayne Lordan aboard 9-2 second favourite Little Big Bear.
Frankie Dettori will partner the leading British challenger Chaldean, the horse he came off exiting the stalls during his trial in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
There are 22 runners in the fillies’ Classic, Sunday’s QIPCO 1,000 Guineas, which are headed by the Dermot Weld-trainer Tahiyra, and in which O'Brien has two runners Meditate and Never Ending Story.