Rip Van Winkle Overview
Windsor Park Stud are delighted to announce that in association with Coolmore Stud Ireland, they will stand world champion miler Rip Van Winkle for the 2011 southern hemisphere breeding season.
Rip Van Winkle was accorded the highest rated 3YO Turf Miler in the world by the World Thoroughbred Rankings committee in 2009 following Group One victories in Goodwood’s Sussex Stakes and Ascot’s Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes, both over 1600m.
Rip Van Winkle was also given a very high annual Timeform rating of 134 in a vintage crop that also included champion Sea The Stars.
He gained further Group One success as a 4YO last year and was rated the best 4YO Turf Miler and equal-best Turf Intermediate racehorse (with champion NZ-bred galloper So You Think) on the World Thoroughbred Rankings.
Along with his sire Galileo, Rip Van Winkle is the highest rated 3YO galloper to come from the famous Ballydoyle stables of Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
O’Brien was full of praise for Rip Van Winkle “He’s the most natural athlete we’ve ever had, his main asset is class” noting also that “He’s as hard as concrete mentally”.
A debut winning 2YO over 1400m at the Curragh, Rip Van Winkle won the Gr.3 Tyros Stakes over 1400m at his next start.
Galileo’s all-time highest rated son opened his classic season with fourth placings in the English 2000 Guineas and English Derby before finishing second to Sea The Stars in the Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
He then gained a comprehensive 2 ½ length Gr.1 victory at Goodwood in the 1600m Sussex Stakes, one of England’s most prestigious races for milers. Timeform noted this effort as being the best in the Sussex Stakes for thirty years.
Rip Van Winkle then won his penultimate start as a 3YO in Ascot’s Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes over 1600m.
Kept in training, Rip Van Winkle’s five Group One races as a 4YO included success on his favoured firm ground in the International Stakes at York over 2100m as well as finishing runner-up in the Sussex Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes.
A multiple Group winner from 1400m to 2100m, Rip Van Winkle finished in the money in 11 of 14 career starts, 12 of which were in Gr.1 races. Upon retirement his career earnings exceeded 1.4 million Euros.
Rip Van Winkle’s sire Galileo was twice Champion European Sire of 2YO’s in 2007 and 2010 and twice Champion European Sire in 2008 and 2010. Galileo is a member of the trinity of Sadler’s Wells best performed sons at Coolmore Stud, the other two being Montjeu (Timeform 137) and High Chaparral (Timeform 132), who both ‘shuttled’ to Windsor Park with great success.
Windsor Park also has a close connection with Rip Van Winkle’s female line as he comes from the same family as their eight-time Champion Sire Volksraad.
Nelson Schick is excited to have Rip Van Winkle at Windsor Park “It’s a privilege to be able to offer Australasian breeders a stallion of this calibre. When you analyse Rip Van Winkle, you understand how special he is to have consistently achieved such a high level of performance”.
Rip Van Winkle is the first foal of his 2YO winning, stakes placed dam Looking Back whose second foal is the stakes winner Le Vie Infinite. Looking Back is by Champion Sire Stravinsky whose progeny have proved so successful globally.
The exceptional looking Rip Van Winkle will join European Champion 2YO Mastercraftsman and Group One winning 2YO TheWayYouAre ‘shuttling’ from Coolmore Stud, Ireland to Windsor Park. A service fee for Rip Van Winkle will be announced shortly.
In support of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake disaster Coolmore head John Magnier has offered to contribute nominations to the three Coolmore stallions standing at Windsor Park. The proceeds from these nominations will go towards the industry relief fundraiser being held by the Auckland Racing Club.
Rip Van Winkle fact file
TITLES
· World Champion 3YO Turf Miler 2009*
· World Champion 4YO Turf Miler 2010*
· Equal highest rated Turf Intermediate 2010* (with So You Think)
· Equal highest rated 3YO (with Galileo) trained by Aidan O’Brien
· Group winner as a 2YO, 3YO & 4YO
· Timeform rating 134
2YO – 3 starts – 2 wins - Group winner
· Debut winning 2YO (1400m)
· Gr.3 winning 2YO (1400m)
3YO – 6 starts – 2 wins - Dual Gr.1 winner
· Won Sussex S., 1600m, Gr.1 – rated best performance for 30yrs
· Won Queen Elizabeth 11 S., 1600m, Gr.1
· 2nd Eclipse S., 2000m., Gr.1
· 4th 2000 Guineas, 1600m., Gr.1
· 4th The Derby, 2400m., Gr.1
4YO – 5 starts – Gr.1 winner
· Won York International S., 2100m, Gr.1
· 2nd Sussex S., 1600m, Gr.1
· 2nd Irish Champion S., 2000m, Gr.1
· 2nd Queen Elizabeth S., 1600m, Gr.1
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
· 14 starts, 12 in Gr.1 races – 5 wins, 4 seconds, 2 fourths
· Prizemoney 1.4 million Euros
· Preferred good to firm going
· World-class, tough, genuine and consistent
PEDIGREE
· The best-looking and highest rated son of Galileo – twice Champion European Sire of 2YO’s 2007/2010, twice Champion European Sire 2008/2010. Sire of 7 individual Gr.1 winners in 2010.
· First foal of Looking Back – a 2YO Stakes placed winner. First two foals are stakes winners.
· Damsire Stravinsky is a Champion sire of 65 SW worldwide.
· From the family of eight-time champion sire Volksraad.
* World Thoroughbred Rankings