Ryan Moore back to winning ways after topsy-turvy Ascot
Jockey Ryan Moore rides Tuesday (R) to victory over jockey Frankie Dettori on Emily Upton (L) in the Oaks on the first day of the Epsom Derby Festival horse racing event at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Epsom, south of England, on June 3, 2022.
Auguste Rodine (Ryan Moore 11-4), returned to the winner's enclosure in defiance of his retractors on Sunday. His redemptive feat came to light during the Irish Festival for Royal Bahrain's €1.25 million Champion Stakes, ensuring the title of the best middle-distance colt of our Classic generation.
Paddington and Auguste have enjoyed diversely remarkable seasons, but both are defined by the mark of MasterChef.
Coolmore supremo Michael Tabor was standing beside Aiden O'Brien in the Leopardstown Pulpit, after his 12th success of what is one of the international scene's marquee autumn championship Group
It was surprising how confident Auguste was.
Ballydoyle's 2022 striker, Luxembourg, bowled along under Seamie Heffernan after Point Lonsdale just failed to fulfil that brief. He instead sat second, and Ryan, ever the calm presence tracked them both on the rail.
When Point Lonsdale swung wide in the straight, he sent Auguste Rodin sailing between horses, and the classy colt excelled for the drop back to ten furlongs to subdue Luxembourg at the furlong pole. He didn't do a lot in front, but enough to spare half-a-length at the wire, with Nashwa (Hollie Doyle 9-2), keeping on purposefully from behind to crop third. Clocking 2:02:6/10 for 1.2 miles, Auguste ensured his fan club that it was no fluke.
King Of Steel (Kevin Stott 10-3), the Derby runner-up and King George third, lacked any tactical pace to get involved, but still capped fourth. Onesto never fired at all. Auguste Rodin might be travelling to the US Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita, but no way hosay for Longchamp's Arc.
As a son of Japan's, Deep Impact, we have two continents bottled together with Mama, Rhododendron out of Galileo. Stud is very much an option if Auguste decides to pack his bags, but right now, the young man is enjoying being idolised and scrutinised.
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Regional (Callum Rodriguez 7-1), cost only 3,500 Guineas, but Ed Bethell says it doesn't matter how much they are bought for. Look at Phar Lap, one of the world's most famous ever, at 160 Guineas. Under sweltering Haydock humidity, Regional scorched to Sprint Cup glamor, holding off 50-1 shot Shouldvebeenaring, to put the upwardly mobile trainer in Fantasy Land.
Shaquille finished stone last at 11-10. After overcoming slow starts to win the Commonwealth, and July Cup, Shaquille was away much more quickly this time, but Julie Camacho's stable star had none of his usual flair. Tom Biggs bought him, Barbara Jones rides him daily, as an unsung hero, and, assistant, Keith McGloin sets everything in motion.
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An exceptional Tahiyra (Chris Hayes 3-1), faced a few questions in her quest for more silverware.
In addition to a 78-day break since Ascot, she had never run at Leopardstown and was facing her elders for the first time. That was no deterrent. She made the Matron Stakes seem trivial.
Chris settled his Tahiyra in mid-division from the get-go but began to click through the gears as they straightened up, still clinging on to the thunderous turn of foot he knew was available.
Tahiyra glided past Prosperous Voyage and Zarinsk into second before taking dead aim at the Paddy Twomey-trained Just Beautiful, who had shown a potent turn of pace of her own to dart clear.
