RACING NEWS:RIP VAN WINKLE is on course to attempt a piece of Group One history at Ascot this Saturday when he chases back-to-back victories in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Rose Bowl (1975-76) and the legendary Brigadier Gerard (1971-72) won the mile race twice when it was a Group Two event, but in the 23 years it has been a Group One no horse has landed the QEII more than once.
Rip Van Winkle beat Zacinto and Delegator last year, but he faces a formidable challenge this time from the triple Group One winning three-year-old Canford Cliffs.
Aidan O’Brien’s star will be dropping back from 10 furlongs after landing the Juddmonte International at York and finishing runner-up to stable companion Cape Blanco in the Irish Champion Stakes last time.
But O’Brien said yesterday: “Pace has always been this horse’s forte. You could even see that at Leopardstown the last day, the way he travelled through the race. We always felt at a mile-and-a- quarter that his class was getting him through it.
“At the moment it is looking like Rip and Beethoven will run at Ascot. Beethoven is a very progressive horse and Joseph (O’Brien) thought the mile-and-a-quarter stretched him a little in the Irish Champion.”
O’Brien also described the Moyglare winner Misty For Me as a “possible” for the Meon Valley Fillies Mile at Ascot.
No plans have been firmed up for the unbeaten National Stakes winner Pathfork, who is already among the leading fancies for next year’s 2,000 Guineas.
Pathfork holds an entry in next month’s Dewhurst at Newmarket, but trainer Jessica Harrington said: “At the moment I don’t know about the Dewhurst. I will talk to his owners and then we will come up with a plan.
“But he has come out of his last race very well. He is only back cantering today and yesterday but we are delighted with him.”
Pathfork is as low as 7 to 1 second-favourite in some ante-post lists for the Newmarket Guineas next May. He provided both Harrington, and jockey Fran Berry, with their first Group One wins when landing the National Stakes at the Curragh this month.
