IT’S BEEN a long time since racing’s superpowers were able to eyeball each other directly, but today’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes sees Coolmore’s Rip Van Winkle face Godolphin’s Delegator in a mouth-watering clash at Ascot.
It harks back to wonderful duels of the past, such as Galileo v Fantastic Light when Sheikh Mohammed’s team provided genuine competition for John Magnier’s Tipperary-based empire.
For the last number of years the Irish have been all-dominant, and only for Sea The Stars this season 2009 could have been yet another Ballydoyle whitewash.
But there have been unmistakable signs of a Godolphin resurgence with a Leger one-two at Doncaster and an acknowledgement that purchasing Delegator has provided them with a truly top-class European operator for the first time in a long time.
Just four runners are due to line up in a Group One that could decide the title of Europe’s top miler this year. On ratings there is no argument as to which of this quartet is superior as Rip Van Winkle’s dramatic Sussex Stakes victory was completely authoritative.
Johnny Murtagh has always rated the Galileo colt very highly, and he said yesterday: “He is probably one of the best I’ve ridden. I’ve always loved this horse. It was a great performance at Goodwood the last day and he’s done well since. It looks a straightforward race. There are only four runners and everyone knows what the others will do,” said Murtagh.
That seems to be indicate he will force the pace, with Frankie Dettori hoping to pounce late on Delegator and Aqlaam trying to impose a rare reverse for the classic generation this season.
Aidan O’Brien won the QEII with George Washington in 2006, but Murtagh has never won it, finishing runner-up twice. The confident noises emerging from Ballydoyle about Rip and the way he is coming back from all those foot problems suggest the jockey can break the QEII code.
The Irish team will also be in Group One action in the Fillies Mile with the Leopardstown winner You’ll Be Mine, who is bred to be a top-flight performer, while Murtagh has chosen Mikhail Glinka over Joshua Tree in the Group Two Royal Lodge.
“He is high class and the Royal Lodge is a race that will suit him.”
