Murtagh rouses thrilling Rip Van Winkle

RACING YORK REPORT AND PREVIEW:SINCE KHALID Abdullah is a Saudi Prince it is unlikely that he has much experience of being mugged but he surely got a taste of what it must be like at York yesterday after Rip Van Winkle's thrilling Juddmonte International success.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old star secured a seventh Irish success in the history of the Group One feature but it was only by the skin of his teeth that the 7 to 4 favourite managed to nail both Twice Over and Byword in the final yards.

Since Abdullah’s Juddmonte farm sponsor the Ebor Festival feature, and Twice Over and Byword carry his famous green and pink colours, it must have been galling for the owner to see a first International victory snatched away in such dramatic fashion.

Even with just half a furlong to go, Rip Van Winkle looked destined for third at best as Twice Over managed to get the better of his French-trained rival. However, after appearing to be in trouble for most of the straight, the Irish horse rallied in some style to eventually sail past both Abdullah horses and pass the line half a length to the good with jockey Johnny Murtagh shaking his head in apparent disbelief.

“I think this is a great horse. He comes through anything and really pulls it out. When he hits top gear he really hits the line,” an exultant rider said afterwards.

Foot trouble curtailed Rip Van Winkle’s three-year-old career, not to mention having Sea The Stars as a contemporary, while he failed to win in two previous starts at a mile this year. But O’Brien is convinced the best is yet to come from him.

“He is in a real good place and on a real upward curve now. We can really look forward to him now,” said Ireland’s champion trainer who on the back of picking up yesterday’s close-on £400,000 (€486,000) first prize is right back in the mix of this year’s British trainers championship.

O’Brien will have other things on his mind before that particular race is decided and indicated that Rip Van Winkle’s 2010 season is really only beginning now. “We wouldn’t mind stepping back to a mile with him and we could look at the QEII. He’s in the Irish Champion but we have the other horse (Fame And Glory) for that,” he said.

“Last year the Breeders’ Cup was a wash out because he was tired coming into the race. This year we have geared him towards the second part of the season and you would love to go back to America again, either for the Mile or the Classic,” O’Brien added.

Earlier in the day the Ballydoyle trainer had to settle for both minor placings in the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes as Midas Touch and Joshua Tree chased home Godolphin’s Rewilding who cemented his place at the head of the St Leger betting with an impressive victory.

“All along we have said he is a Leger horse and this is the best trial,” Frankie Dettori said. “He’s calm, he’ll get the trip no problem and fingers crossed we’ll get him there in one piece.”

O’Brien said of his pair: “We’re delighted with that. You’d love to be thinking of the Leger with them.”

The Ballydoyle hope, Lake Ontario, could only finish a staying-on fourth in the Group Three Acomb Stakes behind Kieren Fallon’s mount Waiter’s Dream who is now a 33 to 1 shot for next year’s 2,000 Guineas.