THE CHANCES of Rip Van Winkle returning to action in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot look to be improving and he remains Aidan O’Brien’s number one hope for the Group One mile highlight.
Ireland’s champion trainer left five entries in the race at yesterday’s forfeit stage which could yet turn out to be a potentially explosive clash between racing’s two superpowers.
Godolphin are planning to run the Celebration Mile runner Delegator against their Ballydoyle rivals, while also listed among the 11 entries are Dermot Weld’s Famous Name, the Hamdan Al Maktoum pair, Aqlaam and Ghanaati, and John Gosden’s Lockinge winner Virtual.
As expected O’Brien has left in both Rip Van Winkle and Mastercraftsman – as well as Poet and the potential pacemakers, Windsor Palace and Set Sail – but hopes appear to be rising that it will be Rip Van Winkle who flies the Ballydoyle flag on Saturday.
“We hope to run Rip Van Winkle and we are happy with him,” O’Brien said yesterday.
“He has had problems all the way along this season which is a pity for the horse. We’ve never had a full, clear run with him. But our hopes are getting stronger for the QEII.”
Rip Van Winkle hasn’t run since landing the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in early August after which more foot problems were diagnosed with the colt.
With the ground at Ascot currently good to firm, conditions appear to be in his favour but if for some reason he can’t run this weekend, Mastercraftsman could be re-routed from a possible Breeders’ Cup warm-up on the Dundalk all-weather to Ascot.
In contrast, the chances of Famous Name taking up his QEII entry appear to be receding as quick going could force Dermot Weld into switching him to Longchamp the weekend after.
“I have to discuss it with Lord Grimthorpe (Juddmonte racing manger) but unless there is appreciable rain, at this stage he is unlikely to run on Saturday,” Weld said yesterday.
“If he has to miss the QEII, there are a couple of group race options for him over the Arc weekend.”
Famous Name finished third in last year’s Group Two Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp during the Arc festival.
O’Brien has won the QEII once before in 2006 with the ill-fated George Washington but he has landed Saturday’s other Ascot Group One, the Meon Valley Stud Fillies Mile, twice with Sunspangled (1998) and Listen (2007).
He has left both the Silver Flash winner Cabaret and You’ll Be Mine in this weekend and said yesterday: “The filly who won her maiden at Leopardstown (You’ll Be Mine) will probably run. She’s still a little babyish but is coming along grand.”
You’ll Be Mine is a daughter of the Group One winner, and classic placed, Quarter Moon while another highly-rated Ballydoyle juvenile that could appear on Saturday is The Curragh maiden winner St Nicholas Abbey.
Already among the market leaders for next year’s Derby, the Montjeu colt is one of six O’Brien horses among the 21 entries for the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile.
Godolphin have supplemented the pair, Frozen Power and Vale Of York.
Twenty one entries also remain in Saturday’s home feature, the Group Three Cordell Lavarack/Lanwades Studs Stakes at Gowran Park. They include the course specialist She’s Our Mark as well as four British entries including the Michael Stoute- trained Ave.
Aidan O’Brien nominated Roman Empress, third to Dar Re Mi and Sariska in the Yorkshire Oaks and runner-up to Chinese White in the Blandford Stakes, as a likely starter.
Looks like seventh time lucky for In Some Respect
IN SOME Respect has form that ties him in with some of the best two-year-olds in Ireland this season and it will be a surprise if Pat Smullen’s mount can’t break his maiden at the seventh time of asking in this afternoon’s opener at Fairyhouse, writes Brian O’Connor.
Co Tyrone trainer Andy Oliver hasn’t hesitated to pitch the horse into top company throughout the season, including when runner-up to Alfred Nobel in the Group Two Railway Stakes on Irish Derby day.
In Some Respect subsequently finished fourth to the same colt in the Group One Phoenix Stakes and his fourth to Love Lockdown in a Group Three at Kempton’s all-weather last time wasn’t helped by a slow start.
A rating of 104 makes him something of a standout in today’s six furlong maiden and Smullen is bang in form having secured a treble at Ballinrobe on Sunday.
Michael Kinane hasn’t been seen in action in Ireland since Leger day at the Curragh but he will be busy today and significantly he has elected to ride the John Oxx newcomer, Haraiya, in the juvenile fillies maiden, despite stable companion Aliwiyya putting in a decent Gowran debut.
Kinane can also go close in the finale on board the course and distance winner Adjaliya, while Lost Generation can continue David Wachman’s gradual return to winning form in the nine furlong conditions race.
