There were two juvenile events at the Curragh overnight that produced impressive winners that are well worth following with Royal Ascot on the horizon.
Purchased for 1.1million guineas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by MV Magnier, Kingman colt Age of Kings opened his account with a facile four length win over 6f, improving from a narrow defeat first up last month.
He ran away from another promising colt in New Image, a Juddmonte Farm bred son of Frankel.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Age of Kings is entered for Royal Ascot as well as the Group II Railway Stakes at the Curragh.
Age of Kings is the first winner from multiple Group II winning Fastnet Rock mare Turret Rocks.
The other juvenile maiden over 7f was won by Time Test colt Crypto Force, who topped the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale in April selling for 160,000 guineas to his trainer Michael O’Callaghan.
Crypto Force created a big impression with his two and a quarter length win earning a shot at Royal Ascot, but the performance of blue blooded runner-up Auguste Rodin was the talking point of the race.
Crypto Force is the first winner for winning Galileo mare Luna Mare, a grand-daughter of stakes-winning Danehill mare Baraka from the family of champion Group I winners Pilsudski and Youmzain plus Creachadoir.
Runner-up Auguste Rodin is a Coolmore homebred colt by Japanese super sire Deep Impact from triple Group I winning Galileo mare Rhododendron. He is the first foal of his dam, who is a sister to champion mare Magical from triple Group I winner Halfway to Heaven.
With a pedigree like that, Auguste Rodin carries a heavy weight of expectation.
