Rip-roaring International for O’Brien

RIP VAN WINKLE gatecrashed the sponsor’s party as he stole the Juddmonte International at York yesterday from under the noses of Twice Over and Byword.

Prince Khalid Abdullah has long coveted a race his breeding operation has been associated with for more than 20 years, but the wait must go on as neither of his flagbearers could last the full length of the unforgiving Knavesmire straight and were overwhelmed by Aidan O’Brien’s raider with 100 yards remaining.

It was 7-4 favourite Rip Van Winkle’s first success at 10 furlongs after a career spent largely in Group One company over a mile, and O’Brien has deliberately preserved him for the second part of this campaign with a return to the Breeders’ Cup at the forefront of his mind.