Bookmaker Reviews & Sports News

Posts Tagged ‘Rip’

Aidan O’Brien has yet to finalise running plans for the Juddmonte International at York next Tuesday.

With Harbinger out of the equation after suffering a career-ending leg injury, Rip Van Winkle is favourite across the boards for the Group One contest and the trainer is certainly eyeing up a trip to the Knavesmire.

Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco, a distant second behind Harbinger in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, is another Ballydoyle inmate under consideration for the race.

“We’re looking at the Juddmonte with both Rip Van Winkle and Cape Blanco but it hasn’t been decided whether we will run one or both,” said O’Brien.

“They are both in good form and ready to run, we’re just waiting for everyone to decide. It’s not definite by any means – we have the Juddmonte and then the Irish Champion a couple of weeks later.

“We’re looking at the Juddmonte with Rip Van Winkle – we’re hoping he’s going to turn up, we just haven’t confirmed it definitely with everyone yet.”

The main opposition appears to be the Khalid Abdullah-owned duo Byword and Twice Over.

The Prince’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: “Last year we thought Byword was very good but he was affected by a virus and this year he has come on in leaps and bounds. There’s probably not a huge amount between him and Twice Over and it’s going to be fascinating.”

Twice Over’s trainer, Henry Cecil, added: “I’m hoping he’ll run very well. He’s in good form and there’ll be no excuses.”

Freddie Head has fired an ominous warning shot at Goldikova’s Queen Anne Stakes rivals by declaring his star mare to be in the form of her life.

Tuesday’s Royal Ascot curtain-raiser promises to be the race of the meeting with Goldikova being joined by brilliant Lockinge winner Paco Boy and dual Group One winner Rip Van Winkle, and Head’s five-year-old already has eight Group One successes to her credit.

The handler said: “She is in very good form and has arrived at Ascot. She travelled very well and we are looking forward to a very good race. I think she has improved since her first run of the year at Longchamp and she always does improve for her first run.”

He added: “The ground is going to be fast I hope and she loves a straight course, so I hope and think we can win. She is very well and I think she is better than ever.”

Rip Van Winkle has his first start since finishing down the field in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but he had previously won the Sussex Stakes and the QEII as well as finishing just a length behind wonder-horse Sea The Stars in the Coral-Eclipse.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien told At The Races: “He’s in good form but this is his first run of the season and we are a little bit worried as a lot of our horses have improved from their first run to their second run and their second run to their third.

“He’s as well as we could have him, but obviously it is a big championship race and ideally you would like to be going into it having got a run into him. We are very happy with him and he’s done very well since last year.

“He’s a stronger horse this year and you’re never sure until they run, but he’s been showing us all the right signs.

“Paco Boy and Goldikova are two exceptional horses and it’s a great race for everybody to look forward to.”

Paco Boy, Goldikova and Rip Van Winkle all feature among 12 entries for a mouthwatering renewal of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Rip Van Winkle, trained by Aidan O’Brien, boasts top-level form having won the Sussex Stakes and the QEII last year, but he has been off the track since finishing down the field in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Richard Hannon’s Paco Boy is set to bid for a second successive win in the Queen Anne and could hardly be in better form having annihilated his rivals in last month’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

Freddie Head’s wonder mare Goldikova looked as good as ever on her recent reappearance, recording a remarkable eighth Group One victory in the Prix D’Ispahan at Longchamp.

The Godolphin camp could be represented by Saeed bin Suroor’s Alexandros and the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained Calming Influence. Other interesting contenders include Zacinto, Dalghar, Pipedreamer and Ouqba.