AIDAN O’BRIEN has a final Group One target in his sights for 2009 in France on Saturday but, with 2010 in mind, the champion trainer confirmed yesterday that Rip Van Winkle will remain in training as a four-year-old.
Ballydoyle’s highest rated three- year-old proved a bitter disappointment in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic when he finished down the field behind Zenyatta.
A dual Group One winner this season in the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Rip Van Winkle’s campaign has nevertheless been plagued by foot problems which again flared up in Santa Anita last week.
However, unlike his stable companion Mastercraftsman, who has been retired to stud, Rip Van Winkle will get the opportunity to improve on his record next year.
“We never got a chance to have a proper run at it with Rip this year and he will stay on with us,” O’Brien said yesterday.
Despite his problems, Rip Van Winkle proved his versatility throughout the campaign with a fourth place in the Epsom Derby over a mile-and-a-half, and then finishing runner-up to Sea The Stars over 10 furlongs in the Eclipse. However, jockey Johnny Murtagh said after Saturday night’s race that he believes a mile is the colt’s best trip.
With the Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory already confirmed for a four-year-old campaign next season, Rip Van Winkle will add to a hugely-strong older horse team for Ballydoyle in 2010.
Apart from Lillie Langtry, who fractured a knee in the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday, O’Brien reported that his Breeders’ Cup squad have emerged unscathed from their efforts at Santa Anita.
The Coolmore/Ballydoyle decision to run only the Marathon winner Man Of Iron on medication has come in for criticism and prompted O’Brien to admit that a review of the stable’s medication policy in America will take place.
“It is something we will have to think about,” he said yesterday. “But two other horses definitely had the winning of their races. Mastercraftsman didn’t seem to have any problems with the surface at all and was just unlucky.
“And the two-year-old (Beethoven) ran a great race after being brought to his knees at the first bend.
“When you go over there it is obviously a lot easier to run on turf, which we know about. But we often try and do something different and see what happens.”
O’Brien ruled out having any runners at Hong Kong’s international festival next month, but he is targeting Saturday’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud in Paris with four possible runners.
Don Carlos, Joshua Tree, Mikhail Glinka and Banyan Tree are among 11 entries remaining in the Group One heat over 10 furlongs.
“They are all possibles, but what we run depends on how heavy the ground over there is,” said O’Brien.
Saturday’s race will be the last Group One race run in Europe this year and winds up a juvenile campaign that O’Brien has dominated with St Nicholas Abbey (Racing Post Trophy), Beethoven (Dewhurst) and Jan Vermeer (Criterium International).
Murtagh renews his championship race against Pat Smullen at Dundalk this evening, including on the Ballydoyle runner Battleoftrafalgar in the mile juvenile maiden. The Galileo colt could have a task on his hands, though, against John Oxx’s Keraloun, who should relish the step up to a mile.
Smullen could have to wait for the final handicap to get on the mark with Senor Tommie, while Blaze Brightly can defy topweight in the Nursery.
Clonmel will hold a 2.00 inspection this afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s scheduled fixture.
Hurricane Fly set for Punchestown
CHAMPION HURDLE favourite Hurricane Fly is set to make his first start of the campaign at Punchestown on Sunday, and it could result in a mouth-watering Grade One clash with Solwhit, writes Brian O'Connor.
Ireland's two principal contenders for championship glory at Cheltenham in March are among nine entries remaining in the Dobbins and Madigans at Punchestown Hurdle, traditionally as the Morgiana, after yesterday's forfeit stage. The entry also includes the 2007 Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity and last season's leading juvenile Jumbo Rio. But the latter has an alternative Grade One option in France the week after, while Sublimity is likely to wait instead for the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.
An interesting entry is the Donald McCain-trained mare Whiteoak, winner of the 2008 David Nicholson mares race at Cheltenham, and third to Celestial Halo at Wincanton last weekend.
However, most focus will be on last season's leading novice Hurricane Fly, a general 3 to 1 market leader for Cheltenham, whose trainer, Willie Mullins, has been aiming at the Morgiana for the gelding's first start of the season.
Solwhit looks like providing a worthy early-season challenge.
Winner of last season's Aintree Hurdle, and the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown's April festival, Solwhit will also be making his first start of this term.
"Solwhit is just ready for his first start but he will come on for the race," Solwhit's trainer, Charles Byrnes, said yesterday.
There is also two Grade Two novice chases on offer. Sizing Europe, an 8 to 1 ante-post favourite with Crack Away Jack for the Arkle at Cheltenham, is an intended starter in the Craddockstown Chase over two miles.
