Van's the man at last
Rip Van Winkle tore the BGC Sussex Stakes field at Glorious Goodwood to pieces today 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 2000 Guineas and Derby before finishing second to him in the Eclipse, his participation here 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 6-4 favourite broke tidily from the stalls under Johnny Murtagh and stole the show on day two of the meeting.
Murtagh sent Rip Van Winkle on his way turning for home at halfway in mile showpiece, and the market leader bounded clear to get off the mark for 2009 by two and a half lengths.
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 very 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.
"We wanted to give everyone a chance, and to give the horse a chance to show everyone what he shows us at home.
"He had had so many problems this year, but had such a good run up to this race until last night.
"He has always had so much speed. It's all class with this horse, and all cruise and speed. We've never had a horse with that much class.
"The plan was to go to the Juddmonte International with Mastercraftsman and the Irish Champion with Fame And Glory. This horse was to go back to a mile.
"The Moulin and QEII are obvious races for him."
Should Rip Van Winkle head to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in the fashion of Henrythenavigator, before heading to California for the Breeders' Cup Classic, then Coral quote him at 6-1 for the Santa Anita event.
Murtagh said: "I said he was one of the best I'd ridden and he's shown he's a great horse.
"He had been my favourite all year. I rode him in the Guineas and he was a bit keen earlier in the year, but the team have done such a great job on him and I thought he might stay the Derby trip.
"At the start of the year I thought he was going to be unbeatable.
"A mile to a mile and a quarter - he will be very hard to beat from now to the end of the season.
"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.
"Coming here today I thought he was unbeatable."
Paco Boy tried in vain to eat into Rip Van Winkle's lead through the final two furlongs but had to settle for second best.
Trainer Richard Hannon said: "I thought he ran a great race and the winner is obviously a very good horse.
"As a gentleman I'm happy with second. We'll look at the Prix Jacques le Marois and if not that, the Foret."
Ghanaati's bid to emulate Humble Duty's 1970 exploits by completing the 1000 Guineas-Coronation-Sussex Stakes treble ended in a third-place finish for Barry Hills' filly.
Charlie Hills, son and assistant to his father, said: "She's just ran a little flat really. She's had two massive runs and you can't keep reproducing that sort of form.
"We might look at something like the Sun Chariot for her and she's still in the QEII."
Jockey Jim Crowley reported that Lord Shanakill "pulled up a little bit lame as he slipped coming out of the stalls".
