IT feels a welcome throwback to the ‘80s and ‘90s and early 2000s with the news that the first four from the Derby last week are intended runners in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the beginning of next month.

Similarly to last year, the two Derbys last week produced impressive winners. Ace Impact matched Vadeni’s final flourish to win in Chantilly, and, although Auguste Rodin was not as decisive, distance wise, as Desert Crown was last year, you felt he was a very worthy Derby winner, and maybe value for more than the half length by which he prevailed. The World’s Best Racehorse Rankings released this week put Ace Impact, winner in a track record time, ahead of Auguste Rodin – 123 to 122.

The Epsom winner was faster than his closest rival over the final three furlongs – 33.01secs to 33.14secs and even though King Of Steel injected pace three out to run the fastest furlong of the race on 10.66secs (just .01 ahead of White Birch), Auguste Rodin still ran the three furlongs from six furlongs out to three out, just faster than his main rival – 36.53 to 36.66secs.

Perfect blend

The winner seems to have the perfect blend of speed and stamina that you would expect from a son of Deep Impact out of a Galileo mare who was second in a Guineas and Oaks and won the mile Lockinge. And, importantly, on his Vertem Futurity win, differences in going should not be a hindrance.

In France, Big Rock matched King Of Steel as a gallant loser who briefly looked a winner.

In his French Derby review, James Crispe notes the unusual paths to 2023 classic success: “Chaldean unseating on his comeback, Auguste Rodin finishing 12th [in the 2000 Guineas], Paddington landing a handicap: Ace Impact making a winning debut at Cagnes-Sur-Mer [on Polytrack in January]”

Aidan O’Brien seemed to be as confident as if Auguste Rodin had been involved in the Guineas finish rather than the other end of the field.

The result resembled two other Vertem Futurity winners for the stable, Luxembourg and St Nicholas Abbey who ran below expectations at Newmarket and then suffered injuries. Though it took him a year to get back on track after his even-money defeat in 2010, St Nicholas Abbey well and truly confirmed his standing as a top class colt and Luxembourg looks like doing the same.

You hear Aidan profess of an “unbelievable horse” almost every second season, but there is every expectation that this Derby winner is such.

While White Birch could play a bigger hand if he is able to keep closer touch at the Curragh, it’s hard not to think that Auguste Rodin should just have superior speed and could well extend his advantage over the same rivals on a more straight-forward track.

Opinions differ on the Oaks with one pundit putting up Savethelastdance at 16s for the Arc, mainly on the basis that likely ground would be no inconvenience.

Another felt they,“wouldn’t be going anywhere near the front two in the Oaks if and when they take on open company as I thought that race was weak” citing Caernarfon as devaluing the form.

It’s a long way ahead (yes, I know that’s what ante-post means) but it’s generally safer to wait and see how fillies fare against a few of the Group 1 colts before forming a strong opinion. There is nothing to suggest they are at the level of Taghrooda, Enable or a Snowfall yet.