RACING NEWS: AIDAN O'BRIEN is still hopeful he can get Rip Van Winkle to Ascot on Saturday week for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but the champion trainer has called time on the three-year-old season of Age Of Aquarius.
The Grand Prix de Paris runner-up was a well-backed favourite for last weekend’s Doncaster St Leger, but failed to make the field after pulling muscles on the morning of final declarations. “Hopefully he will be in training next year, but I don’t think he will run again this season,” O’Brien said yesterday.
In contrast, foot problems have been the bane of Rip Van Winkle’s campaign and they again proved a problem after the Galileo colt’s scintillating Sussex Stakes victory at Goodwood in early August.
The QEII has been his target since then, but injuries continue to dog the colt who Johnny Murtagh rates among the best he has ridden. “We are getting there with him and are happy enough with the horse. I think there is a reasonable chance we will get him to Ascot, but it’s not definite just yet,” O’Brien said.
The trickle of high-class names out of Ballydoyle continues, with Westphalia, placed in both the French 2,000 Guineas and French Derby, sold to continue his racing career in Hong Kong.
Last season’s Champagne Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup runner-up leaves the O’Brien stable along with Changingoftheguard, who will race in Australia, while Golden Sword and Frozen Fire are in the care of South Africa trainer Mike De Kock.
Another start this year hasn’t been ruled out for the Phoenix Stakes winner Alfred Nobel, who disappointed in last weekend’s National Stakes at the Curragh behind Kingsfort. “He hurt his hock and there is still some swelling there. He’s in some light exercise and it’s too early to say if he will have another race this season. But he might.”
O’Brien also reported: “Steinbeck is on his way back and hopefully we will be able to get a run into him.”
Steinbeck hasn’t been seen since an impressive winning debut at Naas in May, but remains an 11 to 1 third favourite in some lists for next year’s 2,000 Guineas, behind Arcano and Canford Cliffs.
Plans are more clear for Saturday’s National Stakes runner-up Chabal, who will attempt to secure a fourth successive Dewhurst Stakes for trainer Jim Bolger.
“We were over the moon with his run at the Curragh,” said James Kelly, racing manager to Chabal’s owner, Lady O’Reilly. “He was green early on and with a stronger pace there was no doubt he would have won. He’s a proper, proper horse.
“He will prefer a stronger pace in the Dewhurst and Newmarket will suit him better, plus he will like fast ground,” Kelly added.
