Auguste Rodin is likely to head straight for the Breeders’ Cup after his impressive return to form in the Irish Champion Stakes.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt put a disappointing King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes run behind him when sent off the 11-4 favourite at Leopardstown under Ryan Moore last Saturday.

The English and Irish Derby winner showed his ability in a quality field to come home half a length ahead of stablemate Luxembourg.

The Breeders’ Cup now beckons at Santa Anita in early November, with the Deep Impact colt likely to set sail for America without another run.

“He’s very good. I was speaking to the boss on the way up and it’s very possible he’ll go straight to America,” O’Brien said.

“He came out of it great and I couldn’t have been happier with him.

“He loves pace and follows pace very easy. When he gets there he doesn’t do much, but that’s the way he’s always been.

“All he wants is a good pace on in front of him and in America you usually get that on fast ground.”

O’Brien was also pleased to see Kyprios return to action on Sunday at the Curragh, where the chestnut returned from nearly a year off the track to finish second in the Irish St Leger.

It was a heartening effort after such a long absence and Champions Day at Ascot in late October is now under consideration for the top-class stayer.

“He came out of the race very good and I’m very happy with him, I’m delighted with him really,” added O’Brien.

“He came out of it brilliant and he’s nearly moving better now than he was before the race, even though we were very happy with his action. He’s definitely gone the right way.

“You’d probably think about Ascot now because you’d give him time to go back, Arc weekend may be too quick.

“At least he could be there now for next year, which is great.”

Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot is viewed as the “end game” for Nashwa following another excellent run in defeat in Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes.

Having claimed her third Group One win in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July, John and Thady Gosden’s filly was beaten a length into third place in the Nassau at Goodwood and finished the same distance behind her stablemate Mostahdaf when runner-up in the Juddmonte International at York.

She was sent to Leopardstown for another top-level assignment and stormed home from the rear to again pick up minor honours in third, finishing on the heels of the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin and defending champion Luxembourg.

Nashwa has the option of return to Paris on Arc weekend for the Prix de l’Opera, in which she was touched off as a hot favourite last season, while she also holds an entry in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket the following week – but it is the big day at Ascot that connections are focussing on.

“She ran a super race on Saturday, she really did. She’s proven herself in top-class company against the colts and has come out of the race really well,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Imad Al Sagar.

“We’ll look at the options, but I think possibly the end game would be Qipco Champions Day, whether that be for the QEII or the Champion Stakes.

“I don’t think it would be necessary to have another run between now and then, but she is in the Sun Chariot or there’s the Prix de l’Opera.

“The Opera does come up quite quick, so we’ll see.”

Last term Nashwa finished fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, but a trip to California appears less likely this time around, and a decision on whether she will race on next season has yet to be made.

Grimthorpe added: “It (Breeders’ Cup) certainly hasn’t been discounted because you never know what may or may not happen, but I think at the moment Ascot would be the main aim.

“Nothing has been decided (regarding next year), we’ll see how she is and see how she goes and Imad will decide nearer the time.”

King Of Steel will head to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes next with connections deciding to stick to their original plan.

The Derby second and King George third, who has also won the King Edward VII Stakes this season, had been given the option of taking on Paddington and Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International at York next week.

However, the Roger Varian-trained colt was not confirmed for the York highlight and he will drop down to 10 furlongs at Leopardstown on September 9.

“We didn’t confirm him today for York,” said Tom Pennington, racing manager for owners, Amo Racing.

“I know when you look at the prize money and think it could be quite a small field, you might get a bit carried away, but we are going back to what was always Plan A and go to Ireland.

“We’ve been patient with him all the way along and I don’t think another couple of weeks is going to do us any harm.

“He’s in good form and he’s on the right track, we’re very happy with him.

“He is a particularly big horse but he’s beautifully proportioned and he’s very well balanced, not many horses that size can go round Tattenham Corner but he floated round there.

“When you look at his size, touch wood, he should be even better again next year and we’re playing the long game with him.”