The 2024 season truly began for the all-star Auguste Rodin in Wednesday’s Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in Britain. After finishing a disappointing last of 12 in the Group 1 Sheema Classic in Dubai in March and a well-beaten second in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland last month, Auguste Rodin fought off a late threat from the French longshot Zarakem to win the $1.26 million Prince of Wales’s Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for his first victory since the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November. Auguste Rodin ($4.20 in American pools) gave trainer Aidan O’Brien a milestone 400th career win in a Group 1 or Grade 1 race. With the win, Auguste Rodin earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2. Ridden by Ryan Moore, Auguste Rodin raced in fourth for the first seven furlongs, stalking pacesetter Snobbish. Auguste Rodin was urged closer to the front as the field moved into the stretch, and took over from brief leader Royal Rhyme with more than a furlong remaining. Horizon Dore, another import from France, challenged Auguste Rodin briefly, but could not sustain the effort. Zarakem closed well to get within three-quarters of a length of Auguste Rodin. Zarakem (37-1) finished a length in front of 6-1 Horizon Dore in the field of 10. :: Bet Royal Ascot with confidence: DRF PPs Available Now Inspiral, winner of the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita last November, finished sixth by 2 3/4 lengths as the 9-2 second choice. Last in the opening furlongs, Inspiral was unable to pose a threat in the stretch. Auguste Rodin, a winner of 8 of 13 starts, has won six Group 1 or Grade 1 races, including the English and Irish derbies in 2023. O’Brien said a stalking trip was better for Auguste Rodin as opposed to racing from farther off the pace. “I was probably giving instructions wrong all along,” O’Brien said. “We were riding him [from] too far back and if there was not pace in the race, he was too far out of the race. So, we changed everything. Ryan said he was going to ride him positively, engage him straight away. He’ll get up there and cruise off any pace. He is very straightforward. “We saw today that when he gets to the front, he waits, and then he goes again. That’s what makes him very good.” O’Brien has not ruled out starting Auguste Rodin on dirt in the United States this year, even saying in a post-race television interview that the BC Classic is not out of the question. Auguste Rodin is owned by the Coolmore syndicate and Georg von Opel. O’Brien trains recent English Derby winner City of Troy for Coolmore. City of Troy has been mentioned as a long-range candidate for the BC Classic. American trainer Wesley Ward had a tough day at Ascot on Wednesday, with his two runners failing to play a meaningful role in stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs. Ultima Grace (13-1) finished 20th of 24 in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for fillies, losing by 10 1/4 lengths to Leovanni ($48.60) after racing prominently early. Leovanni, trained by Karl Burke, is unbeaten in two starts, beginning with a maiden race at Nottingham on June 5. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. The Ward-trained Honorary American (37-1) finished 24th of 27 in the Windsor Castle Stakes, won by Ain’t Nobody ($12.80). Honorary American was prominent early before fading from contention to finish 13 lengths behind Ain’t Nobody. Trained by Kevin Ryan, Ain’t Nobody won his debut in an allowance race for 2-year-olds at Carlisle Racecourse on May 31. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.