RIP VAN WINKLE SWOOPS IN JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL

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Rip Van Winkle winning the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1)
(Photo : Bleacher Report / Footage: Racing UK)

JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES (Gr1)
York, 17 August 2010

The drama came late in yesterday’s Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr1), with Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo) swooping on the sponsor’s pair of Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) and Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre) in the shade of the post in a pulsating renewal of the York feature.

Sent off the 7-4 favorite on the back of a second in Goodwood’s Sussex Stakes (Gr1) last time out on 28 July, Susan Magnier’s four-year-old was game in the chase as Twice Over finally got the better of Byword in the final furlong, with Johnny Murtagh delivering the knock-out blow in the final two strides. A half-length separated the first two, with 3/4 of a length back to Byword. “I love this horse,” Murtagh said. “He didn’t show his true worth in last year’s Guineas and Derby, but he showed when he won his two Group 1’s last year what a champion he was. He didn’t run his race in America, but I think he’s a great horse, and he comes through anything and always seems to pull it out when it matters.”

Rip Van Winkle was always held in the highest esteem at Ballydoyle, and the natural speed and ability he displayed from his early days on the gallops helped him garner Leopardstown’s Tyros Stakes (Gr3) and run an eye-catching race just out of the placings in the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr1) during his juvenile campaign.

As Sea the Stars (Ire) was flashing his boundless talent at Newmarket and Epsom, Rip Van Winkle was lurking behind, and it was the Tsui goliath who was again in control in their first major face-off in Sandown’s Eclipse in July. Despite fine efforts in defeat, Rip Van Winkle’s well-documented foot problems cast a lengthy shadow and arose again at the 11th hour prior to his first top-level success in the Sussex last July. He backed up that imperious performance with another Group 1 in Ascot’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in September, but was notably below-par when trailing behind Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr1) at Santa Anita in November. All reports prior to his comeback in Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes (Gr1) suggested a lack of fireworks, and that was the case as he faded out of contention to be sixth there on 15 June, but in making Canford Cliffs (Ire) stretch in the latest renewal of the Sussex, he had signaled a return to the big league.

Keen at York early off the steady-building tempo, the bay eventually settled in a wide sixth and was on the heels of Byword as his rider Maxime Guyon tried to steal a march in early stretch. Rip Van Winkle seemed flat-footed as Tom Queally and Twice Over appeared a bigger threat to Byword, he needed time to find his stride, but, when the surge came, it was enough to deny the gallant runner-up a hard-earned victory. “Aidan had a plan to take it a bit slower with him this year and there are a lot of big races coming up at the end of the year, so we want to have him fresh and well,” Murtagh explained. “I probably went too fast on him at Ascot and I was very happy with him last time, but today my one worry was the pace of the race, and he overcame it. He’s such a brilliant mover and covers so much ground that over a mile you can use that to kill horses, but no horse can keep running that hard and fast all season, so it was nice to give him a little chance today. He only had to run for a furlong and a half, so I think he’ll improve again as he was still a bit rusty today. When they kick, he doesn’t have instant acceleration, but when he gets into top gear he hits the line really well and was always going to get there. I was trying to give him as easy a race as possible to win and not punish him, but he stuck his head down and battled really well.” Aidan O’Brien added, “They didn’t go very fast and we were just getting him to relax and switched off today - that was the important thing. He seems in a real good place now and on an upward curve.”

Connections are looking at a return to a mile for a repeat bid in Ascot’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1) on 25 September, followed by a tilt at either the BC Mile or Classic, both at Churchill on 6 November.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

CAPE BLANCO SHOWS CLASS AND COURAGE IN IRISH DERBY

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Cape Blanco winning the 2010 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Gr1)
(Photo : Racing Post - Footage : At The Races)

IRISH DERBY (Gr1)
27 June 2010

The Curragh was the scene of a historical training achievement on Sunday as Aidan O’Brien became the first trainer to win five consecutive renewals of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) courtesy of Derrick Smith’s Cape Blanco (Ire) (Galileo). For good measure, the 7-2 second favorite led home stable companions Midas Touch (GB) (Galileo) and Jan Vermeer (Ire) (Montjeu) at half-length and 1 1/2-length intervals as he put an unplaced effort in the June 6 Prix du Jockey Club (G1) firmly behind him. Settled in fourth early off the fast pace set by the stable rabbits, the chestnut put it up to Midas Touch at the top of the stretch and after gaining the edge before the furlong marker toughed it out to prove jockey Johnny Murtagh right in his choice. “All the horses ran great and all credit to everybody for getting them all there.”

Cape Blanco was always at the forefront of the Ballydoyle juvenile ranks in 2009 and went unbeaten in three starts with varying degrees of style. After a workmanlike debut success over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse in June, he went to Leopardstown for the Tyros Stakes (G3) the following month and displayed panache under positive tactics. A month later, he was back at Fairyhouse for the Futurity Stakes (G2) - diverted from this venue -  and had to pull out the stops to satisfy the bridge-jumpers at 1-5, prompting connections to point to the testing ground for that less-than-flattering effort. With bounce back in the surface at York on his belated return, he saw off Workforce (GB) (King’s Best) at odds with his equipment in the May 13 Dante Stakes (G2), and it was a case of divergent fortunes for the first two home thereafter.

Just 24 hours after the runner-up had blasted himself into immortality at Epsom, Cape Blanco was delivering a first disappointing performance when out the back in the Chantilly equivalent and he entered this race with a point to prove. “The last day was a blip on this horse’s card and we couldn’t understand it, but this is great for everybody,” commented Aidan O’Brien.

O’Brien was welcoming back an eighth Irish Derby winner in total, with seven of those coming since Johnny Murtagh’s decision to desert Jan Vermeer in his favor suggested Ballydoyle were expecting a turnaround from the French flop, and it was evident early on here that he was a different proposition to the languid version seen last time. As the stable’s Bright Horizon (GB) (Galileo) provided the lead-out with the Epsom runner-up At First Sight (Ire) (Galileo) and Midas Touch behind, Cape Blanco sat in the clear in fourth. When Colm O’Donoghue committed Midas Touch at the top of the straight, Murtagh opted to cover the move. Despite Seamus Heffernan and Jan Vermeer briefly threatening up the rail, it was Cape Blanco and Midas Touch who had it between them, and the latter was gradually subdued from a furlong out.

“Johnny gave him a brilliant ride, and I’m just delighted to be part of it,” O’Brien added. “They all ran stormers. It wasn’t the horse that we knew in France, and maybe it was the travel and the first day away in the heat like that, but something upset him. Today, he left it all behind him, and we saw all the class and courage that we always thought was there. We always thought if things went well here, we’d look at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot July 24.”

The supplemented Monterosso (GB) (Dubawi), sent off  the 3-1 favorite, was sending out distress signals before the straight, but stayed on strongly under Frankie Dettori to be fourth.

Trainer Mark Johnston said of Monterosso, “I have to be honest and say we didn’t come to be fourth, but at the same time there were no excuses. Frankie said it was either a bridge too far and we were expecting too much of him - and maybe when I go back and look at the form of his Royal Ascot race I’ll say that’s his form - or, hopefully, it just came a little bit too soon (after his win in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2)) and there is more to come from him later in the year.”

This was also the second time that Ballydoyle representatives had filled the first three places in this Classic after Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo) spearheaded the trifecta just three years ago.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

FAME AND GLORY FOR AIDAN O'BRIEN IN CORONATION CUP

Fame And Glory - Investec Coronation Cup (Gr1)
(Photo : PA Photos)

INVESTEC CORONATION CUP (Gr1)
Epsom Downs, 4 June 2010

The Investec Coronation Cup Gr.1 was won impressively yesterday at Epsom Downs by last year’s Irish Derby Gr.1 hero Fame And Glory. Taking over from his pacemaker Dixie Music inside the final quarter of a mile, the Aidan O’Brien-trained four-year-old ran on well to beat last year’s Investec Oaks Gr.1 winner Sariska and the St Simon Stakes Gr.3 victress High Heeled, who was making her seasonal re-appearance for her new connections.

Aidan O’Brien, who was winning the race for the fourth time in six years, stated, “He is tactically very quick now and Johnny said he was cantering at all stages. A midsummer break was the plan, but we might just have a look at the Gr.1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes now as he has gone very pacey. This and the Tattersalls Gold Cup were his first two early targets. He’s a great horse. We don’t want to look back, but we’ve learnt as we’ve gone along.”

Jockey Johnny Murtagh was upbeat about the colt’s chances for the rest of the season, “He’s a real champion. I liked the way he knuckled down in the last furlong. He missed the start a little bit today but was soon into a lovely rhythm. He is much more on the ball this year and is showing more pace. He’s really in the zone now, a very exciting horse.”

The son of Montjeu who has now won eight of his thirteen starts, two of those at the highest level this season, was bred by Ptarmigan Bloodstock and Kirsten Rausing and races in the colours of Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor. A 190,000gns Tattersalls December Foal Sale graduate, he comes from a top-class family, which includes the German Classic winner Grimpola (Windwurf) and the dual Gr.1 winner Gonbarda (Lando).

RACE RESULT

#	LBH	Horse	Age	Dr	Sex	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	FAME AND GLORY (GB)	4	8	C	J Murtagh	Aidan O’Brien
2	1.50	SARISKA (GB)	4	5	F	J Spencer	Michael Bell
3	1.25	HIGH HEELED (IRE)	4	1	F	W Buick	John Gosden
4	0.75	YOUMZAIN (IRE)	7	9	E	K Fallon	Mick Channon
5	1.75	CAVALRYMAN (GB)	4	2	C	L Dettori	Saeed Bin Suroor
6	4.50	SOUTH EASTER (IRE)	4	4	C	R Moore	William Haggis
7	5.00	JUKEBOX JURY (IRE)	9	3	C	R Ffrench	Mark Johnston
8	10.00	BASHKIROV (GB)	5	6	C	R Walsh	Luke Comer
9	14.00	DIXIE MUSIC (IRE)	4	10	C	J Heffernan	Aidan O’Brien
0		CLOWANCE (GB)	5	7	F	J Fortune	Roger Charlton

Extract from European Bloodstock News

FAME AND GLORY ALL CLASS IN TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP

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Fame And Glory winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr1)
(Photo : Lahipodromodigital - Footage : At The Races)

TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP (Gr1)
The Curragh, Turf, 2112m

THE CURRAGH, IRELAND - Already victorious here on his finest hour in last year’s Irish Derby (Gr1), Fame and Glory (Montjeu) successfully shortened up in trip to emulate his sire, and one of his best progeny in Hurricane Run, by adding this contest to that mile-and-a-half Classic. Denied a larger share of the limelight in 2009 due to the misfortune of being foaled in the same year as Sea the Stars, the bay would by now also have an Epsom Derby and Irish Champion Stakes to his name had he not encountered that formidable rival.

Any fears that he might not be the same force following a comeback third in the course-and-distance Listed Alleged Stakes on April 11 were assuaged by his easy win under a five-pound penalty in the G3 Mooresbridge Stakes back here last time May 3. Allowed time to arrive at this feature on his own terms by Aidan O’Brien, he justified the patient approach with an awesome display of power.

Towed to the top of the stretch by the Ballydoyle rabbit Dixie Music, he took control from 2 1/2 lengths out and drew away from the chasing Lady O’Reilly pair of Recharge and Chinese White as Johnny Murtagh took his foot off the pedal in the final yards.

“It was a true-run race, and he is really there now”, Aidan O’Brien commented. “All the class is there in abundance, and you can see that in the way he traveled and quickened today. Johnny said he could have waited a lot longer, and he was a different class really. He’s always been an amazing horse and is in a great place at the moment. He has matured, and so, although it is a quick turnaround, the G1 Coronation Cup (4 June at Epsom) will be next provided he is well. It was lovely the way he handled the fast ground, and it all comes the same to him now.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

RESULTS

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0	FAME AND GLORY	57.0	5	JP Murtagh	Aidan O’Brien
2	7L	RECHARGE	57.0	3	CD Hayes	Kevin Prendergast
3	nk	CHINESE WHITE	56.0	6	PJ Smullen	Demot Weld
4	1/2 L	HALICARNASSUS	57.0	1	RL Moore	Mick Channon
5	13 L	CUTLASS BAY	57.0	2	A Ajtebi	Saeed bin Suroor
6	13 L	DIXIE MUSIC	57.0	4	JA Heffernan	Aidan O’Brien

MEYDAN MASTERS JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE 2010

Meydan Racecourse
(Photo : Meydan)

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL RACING CARNIVAL 2010

Dubai Racing Club has announced the launch of “Meydan Masters”, an international jockeys’ challenge to be held on 5th March at the new Meydan racecourse.

Held during the Dubai International Racing Carnival, the “Meydan Masters” will feature winning jockeys from the world’s 11 premier races of 2009, plus a special invitation to another rider to bring the number to a twelve.

“The races we have identified have been won by jockeys that are true masters of their craft and we are very excited about this initiative. We look forward to celebrating what will surely be a fantastic opening season at the Meydan racecourse,” said Dubai Racing Club CEO, Frank Gabriel.

The riders are: Aaron Gryder (won the Dubai World Cup) Ahmed Ajtebi (Dubai Sheema Classic) Calvin Borel (Kentucky Derby) Norihiro Yokoyama (Japanese Derby) Ryan Moore (King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes) Johnny Murtagh (Irish Derby) Corey Brown (Melbourne Cup) Mike Smith (Breeders’ Cup Classic) Olivier Peslier (Hong Kong Cup) *Mick Kinane (Derby) *Michael Kinane (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) **Christophe Lemaire (Prix du Jockey-Club) **Ted Durcan (St Leger)

*subsequently retired from race-riding
** offered places due to Kinane’s retirement

Meydan Board member Malih Lahej Al Basti said that the Meydan Masters will be a competition with a difference: “With racing now being so international, it is difficult to establish a formula for which jockey should represent which country. Jockeys now don’t necessarily ride full time in their home country. With the Meydan Masters, these world-class jockeys will represent themselves against their contemporaries from across the globe, those that excelled and triumphed on the biggest stage throughout 2009. There could be one rider fortunate enough to win more than one of the races we have identified, in which case we have identified alternate races in the same jurisdiction to invite another rider. For instance, Michael Kinane was invited courtesy of his Derby win, but having also won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, we have had to go to the alternate French race, the Prix du Jockey-Club, and its winning rider Christophe Lemaire. Kinane’s retirement means that we have also had to go to the alternate race in England which, for 2010, was the St Leger and its winning rider Ted Durcan.”

The Meydan Masters will be held over four support races on the programme that features the recently upgraded Gr.2 Zabeel Mile.

The Meydan Masters will conclude six weeks of racing, comprising nine meetings and 18 Group and Listed races, beginning with the opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge on 28th January.

Extract from European Bloodstock News