Posts tagged Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle misses Breeders’ Cup
Oct 21st
Observers have grown used to the Aidan O’Brien rhetoric; the way that horses are described as “unbelievably special”. True, it is normally uttered within the confines of the winner’s enclosure after a Group One victory and, with 173 of those to the trainer’s credit, he could probably argue that there is a solid case that [...]
Strong renewal for Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Sep 20th
Frankie Dettori may well be long odds to replicate his “magnificent seven” winners from the 1996, but he goes into Saturday’s meeting at Ascot with renewed firepower. Godolphin, who celebrated its 1,000th British winner at Newmarket on Friday, have not had reason to cheer after a Group One race in the country since Mastery won [...]
Irish Champion Stakes preview
Sep 4th
When Rip Van Winkle won the Juddmonte International at York two weeks ago, Aidan O’Brien said: “He’s in a really good place now and he’s really on an upward curve.” As the colt had just beaten Twice Over and Byword, respectively the winners of the Eclipse and Prince of Wales’s Stakes, just how much more [...]
Six left in Irish Champion Stakes
Sep 2nd
Such are the equine resources that Aidan O’Brien can call upon that he is able to withdraw a horse who would be a stable star just about anywhere else and still maintain his grip on a major prize. O’Brien has pared down his five entries for the Group One Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at [...]
Twenty left in Sprint Cup
Aug 30th
As Richard Hannon continues his pursuit of Sir Michael Stoute in this year’s trainers’ championship, he could be forgiven for wondering why what had become so reliable has begun to fail. Hannon’s two-year-old division has always paid its but this year there had been a level of quality that pushed the quantity to unheard of [...]
Rip Van Winkle takes Juddmonte International Stakes
Aug 17th
If he keeps improving like this, Aidan O’Brien may have another champion on his hands. Rip Van Winkle had looked to be a light of former days when he could finish only sixth to Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and then still seemed to have been put in his place by [...]
Aidan O’Brien hopes Rip Van Winkle is wide awake
Aug 16th
If Aidan O’Brien’s original belief in Rip Van Winkle had born full fruit it is doubtful that he would be running at York now. Last season this was the colt accorded star status at a Ballydoyle yard that regards such horses as almost its base currency. He was stable jockey Johnny Murtagh’s chosen ride in [...]
Goodwood preview day two
Jul 27th
After the victories of Twice Over and Harbinger Eclipse and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes racing’s answer to the generation game is firmly on the side of the senior division. The latest match-up of the ages comes on the second day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting in the Group One Sussex Stakes. The [...]
Premio Loco added to Sussex Stakes field
Jul 22nd
Many of the runners in next week’s Sussex Stakes will have taken a relatively straight path to the race. Having started off in maidens they will then have worked their up the Group-races pyramid, often like, Candford Cliffs, Dick Turpin and Rip Van Winkle, taking in the Classic as three-year-olds. But Premio Loco has taken [...]
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