While it would be unfair to say that RIP VAN WINKLE (Galileo [Ire]) is all
reputation and hype, it is the aura surrounding Ballydoyle’s main contender for
Saturday’s Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) that burns brighter than his track record
so far. Since being promoted to first when narrowly denied on his debut at The Curragh in June, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s colt has
showed glimpses of the ability which has had his County Tipperary base buzzing
for some time.
The conqueror of Cuis Ghaire (Galileo [Ire]) in Leopardstown’s Tyros S.
(Ire-G3) in July, he was an unlucky seventh in the Dewhurst
S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in October. Having suffered setbacks in the winter and this week, it is
a mark of the regard in which he is held that Johnny Murtagh has deserted the
proven MASTERCRAFTSMAN (Danehill Dancer) to steer him at Newmarket Saturday.
“It was a very difficult decision, as the two horses are going very well
and they have come through their work great,” Murtagh told PA Sport Friday.
“They are both progressing with every bit of work and I just sided with Rip van
Winkle. I think he’s a very good horse and he’s got good potential.”
Aidan O’Brien has a solid alternative as he chases a sixth Guineas with
Mastercraftsman, who emulated his sire and the stable’s 2006 Guineas hero George
Washington (Ire) when recording the Phoenix S. (Ire-G1)/National S. (Ire-G1) double at The Curragh in August and September. His short-head
defeat of Shaweel(Dansili [GB]) over seven furlongs in the National came
in desperately deep ground, and that may have accounted for his subsequent
disappointing fourth in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) at Longchamp on Arc day.
He breaks from the 12 hole from which King’s Best exited en route to
his impressive success at the turn of the millennium, and Pat Smullen gets the
leg-up.
“I’m very lucky to have picked up the ride on such a good horse,” he
told PA Sport. “I saw all his races last year, obviously, and he’s a high-class
colt and I’m looking forward to riding him. It’s hard to know about his last
run. It was the end of a long year, but there’s no fault in any of his form, so
you’d have to be excited about riding him. I don’t think the mile will be a
problem at all.”
While Thursday’s surprising withdrawal of Intense Focus (Giant’s Causeway)
robbed this classic of the Dewhurst winner, the form of that prestigious
seven-furlong contest is represented by no fewer than six of the next eight who
followed him home. Mogeely Stud and Mark Gittins’s LORD SHANAKILL (Speightstown)
was denied a nose by Jim Bolger’s representative on that occasion. The bay colt
had a productive season nonetheless, finishing third to Bushranger (Ire)
(Danetime) in the Prix Morny (Fr-G1) at Deauville in August before collecting
the Mill Reef S. (Eng-G2) at Newbury in September. Trainer Karl Burke is readying
himself for what would be a momentous afternoon if his charge prevails from the
10 stall which housed last year’s hero Henrythenavigator.
“I am
totally happy with his draw — I would rather be there than either very wide or
right down stuck on the fence,” he said. “The horse looks tremendous. I would
have liked to have had a prep run, but that wasn’t to be. I am very, very happy
with him and the ground should be perfect for him — there will be no excuses on
that score. I just hope they go a nice, even gallop and that we will get a good
run.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s FINJAAN (Royal Applause [GB]) and OUQBA (Red Ransom) were third and ninth, respectively, in the Dewhurst,
but jockey Richard Hills has opted to ride the latter, who took the listed
European Free H. over seven furlongs here last time April 15. Finjaan bids to
provide trainer Barry Hills with a third Guineas trophy and would be the first
winner of that prep since Mystiko in 1991 to follow up here.
Godolphin, who were successful with Mark of Esteem (Ire) in 1996 and Island
Sands three years later, rely on Somerville Tattersall S. (Eng-G3) winner ASHRAM (Indian Haven). He was sixth
in the Dewhurst on his last start for the John Hills yard, and Saeed bin Suroor
is hopeful he can hold his own in his first outing in the royal blue.
“Ashram
keeps improving and he comes on with every piece of work,” he explained.
“Frankie rode him, and he liked the colt a lot and I have been happy with
Ashram’s build-up to the Two Thousand Guineas. It’s always a hard race to win and he is
considered to be a bit of an outsider, but I think he has the ability to run
well. He will certainly have no problem with fast ground and will get the mile
trip.”
John Oxx rarely points the wrong horse at the English classics and he is looking
for a first edition with Beresford S. (Ire-G2) hero SEA THE STARS (Cape Cross
[Ire]). Christopher Tsui’s
son of Urban Sea (Miswaki) beat the talented trio of Mourayan (Alhaarth), Masterofthehorse
(Sadler’s Wells) and Recharge (Cape Cross
[Ire]) in that one-mile contest at The Curragh, and the form received a boost
when the latter took the Leopardstown Two Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) last month.
“He is
in good shape, working nicely and it just remains to be seen now he copes with
the mile and the setback he had a few weeks ago,” he told PA Sport. “We’ve
been very
happy with him this week, and he goes there with a chance of running very well.
We’re not sure what his best trip will be, but we think he is good enough to run
very well at a mile–we just have to find out on Saturday.”
Trainer Roger Curtis Friday ruled last year’s Criterium International (Fr-G1) winner Zafisio
(Efisio) out of Saturday’s
race due to a dirty scope.
“The ground wouldn’t have
helped, but his scope wasn’t 100 percent so he won’t run,” he told the Racing
Post. “Without rain, he
wouldn’t have had a great chance. He is in the French (Poule d’Essai des
Poulains [Fr-G1] at Longchamp May 10) and German (Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen [Ger-G2] at Cologne May
10) Guineas and we will see how he is next week.”