The English and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin was named 2023 ‘Horse Of The Year’ at the HRI awards ceremony on Dublin on Monday evening. Becoming the first flat horse winner of the prize since 2018.
Auguste Rodin Horse Of The Year 2023: Dual Derby Winner Scoops Top HRI Award
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Auguste Rodin was grabbing the headlines at the Horse Racing Ireland Awards at Mansion House in Dublin after landing the top award – Horse Of The Year for 2023.
Auguste Rodin, who is runs in the famous Michael Tabour colours was last seen winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf on November 4th at Santa Anita, California under a power-packed ride from his regular pilot Ryan Moore.
That win ended a top 3 year-old campaign that also saw Auguste Rodin win the Epsom and Irish Derby. Plus, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
These haul of big Group One successes in 2023 were enough for the HRI voters to crown him ‘Horse Of The Year’ for 2023 and in the process bumped his total career winnings to over £4m.
It Wasn’t All Plain-Sailing For Auguste Rodin In 2023
Despite these four wins at the highest level, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Auguste Rodin this season.
After a top 2 year-old season, that saw him end by winning the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, he went into last winter as the red-hot Newmarket 2000 Guineas favourite.
However, Auguste Rodin ran flat that day on his first run of 2023 – coming 12th of 14 in the first English Classic of the new season.
He, of course, bounced back in his next race when upped in trip to take the Epsom Derby and then added the Irish Derby.
But another lack-lustre run followed in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot (last of 10). The good news for his fans is that he recovered for a second time in 2023 with Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf successes.
This Breeders’ Cup Turf win also provided his trainer Aidan O’Brien with his seventh success in the big US race.
You feel these two end-of-season Group One wins were enough to see him over the line as the HRI Horse Of The Year 2023.
Auguste Rodin saw off Energumene, Galopin Des Champs, State Man, Tahiyra and his stablemate Paddington, who were the other 2023 Horse Of The Year nominees.
As a result of picking up the award, Auguste Rodin becomes the first flat horse to win since Alpha Centauri in 2018. With the popular jumping mare Honeysuckle winning in 2021 and 2022.
HRI Horse Of The Year Past Winners
- 2023: Auguste Rodin
- 2022: Honeysuckle
- 2021: Honeysuckle
- 2020: Al Boum Photo
- 2019: Tiger Roll
- 2018: Alpha Centauri
Auguste Rodin Career In Numbers
- Age: 3
- Runs: 10
- Wins: 7
- Career Prize Money: £4,083,514
Auguste Rodin Big Wins In 2023
- 3rd June: Epsom Derby(1st 9/2)
- 2nd July: Irish Derby (1st 4/11 fav)
- 9th Sept: Irish Champion Stakes (11/4 fav)
- 4th Nov: Breeders’ Cup Turf (5/2 fav)
WATCH: Auguste Rodin Winning The 2023 Epsom Derby
WATCH: Auguste Rodin Winning The 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf
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