Sport

Rip proves he's no slouch

GOODWOOD REPORT : RIP VAN Winkle tore the Sussex Stakes field to pieces at Goodwood yesterday and earned an elusive Group One…

Thu Jul 30 2009 - 01:00

GOODWOOD REPORT: RIP VAN Winkle tore the Sussex Stakes field to pieces at Goodwood yesterday and earned an elusive Group One success after a series of near-misses against dual Classic winner Sea The Stars.

A catalogue of problems have beset Aidan O’Brien’s colt throughout the summer, and he provided all concerned with an 11th-hour injury scare on Tuesday evening when a crack appeared on his near-hind hoof.

Fourth to Sea The Stars in both the 2,000 Guineas and Derby before finishing second to him in the Eclipse, his participation went right down to the wire, with O’Brien even accompanying the son of Galileo down to the start to monitor his condition.

But with no apparent signs of lameness, the 6 to 4 favourite broke tidily from the stalls under Johnny Murtagh and stole the show on day two of the meeting.

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Murtagh sent Rip Van Winkle on his way turning for home at halfway in the mile showpiece, and the market leader bounded clear to get off the mark for 2009 by two and a half lengths from Paco Boy.

A foot infection in the spring has hindered the winner ever since, with O’Brien claiming it “very unusual” for his charge to have raced on this year after that setback.

O’Brien, winning the race for the fourth time and following up from Henrythenavigator 12 months ago, said: “We are over the moon with what has happened today and we’re so pleased that he has shown everybody what he shows us everyday, and having had to overcome everything yesterday evening.

“He was 10 out of 10 lame last night, and I said then that I didn’t think this was going to happen.

“We gave him every chance though, and the first trot he took was leaving the parade ring. I then went to the start and if Johnny had said no at that point then it wouldn’t have happened.”

Murtagh said: “I said he was one of the best I’d ridden and he’s shown he’s a great horse.

“The last bit of work I rode him he started to feel like Henrythenavigator. He was following his lead horse, I eased him out and you only just have to ask him now and he just blows them out of the water.”