Racing: Johnny Murtagh believes Rip Van Winkle can give him a belated first success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot tomorrow. Murtagh has gone close in this mile feature on several occasions but is confident of a big run from the Sussex Stakes winner.
“I’ve not won the race, but I’ve been unlucky a few times. I was second on Ridgewood Pearl and second on Henrythenavigator, but I’m hoping tomorrow I’m going to win it. I think tomorrow will be my first one,” said Murtagh.
“I’ve always loved this horse. I sat on him the other morning, he’s in good shape and the ground will be perfect.
“It was a great performance at Goodwood the last day and he’s done well since. It looks a straightforward race. There’s only a few runners and everybody knows what the others are going to do.
“They are the best around. My horse is the favourite and the bookies don’t usually get it wrong.”
Richard Hills has already won the race twice on Maroof (1994) and Summoner (2001) and he fancies his chances of a third on Aqlaam. The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt is the only four-year-old taking on the Classic generation but he did miss the second half of last season through injury.
He has made up for lost time this term and landed the Group One Prix du Moulin on his latest start.
“I’m really looking forward to it. He’s a lovely horse and he has steadily improved and improved,” said Hills. “He won the Group One last time and he’s stepping up again.
“There are some very good horses in the race, but he’s been getting better and better. He’s very tough and he’s got a big heart. He’d run through a brick wall if you asked him.
“All credit to him because of all the injuries he’s had as a lot of these horses don’t recover from it but he has. I’m looking forward to trying to get another Group One and I think he’ll be a good stallion one day.
“I’ve won this race twice before and I’ve definitely got a good chance of making it three.”