Potential trouble for Rip Van Winkle
DiscreetCat
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from Sporting Life:
Aidan O'Brien has revealed the brilliant-but-fragile Rip Van Winkle has not had an entirely smooth build-up to the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Sussex Stakes and QEII winner's foot troubles are well documented but a problem with a previously unaffected foot beset him during preparations for the 5million showdown on Saturday night.
O'Brien has never won the Classic, although his Giant's Causeway went down fighting to Tiznow in a memorable battle in 2000, while Henrythenavigator found only Raven's Pass too good 12 months ago.
"The horses arrived on Sunday. They'll go on the track tomorrow and have a trot and a canter," O'Brien said.
"Rip has been swimming against the tide all season and it is amazing where he is given the hiccups he has had.
"He's had bits and pieces of problems coming into this race, with one of his feet that hasn't been problematic thus far (this season).
"I hope it isn't going to affect him and we will see him out on the track tomorrow.
"With Rip you have to take it day by day all the time but we have been happy with him throughout the last week.
"I don't think the surface will be a problem as he is a fluent and easy mover.
"He is total athlete and we will see out he handles it when he goes out for a hack tomorrow."
Aidan O'Brien has revealed the brilliant-but-fragile Rip Van Winkle has not had an entirely smooth build-up to the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Sussex Stakes and QEII winner's foot troubles are well documented but a problem with a previously unaffected foot beset him during preparations for the 5million showdown on Saturday night.
O'Brien has never won the Classic, although his Giant's Causeway went down fighting to Tiznow in a memorable battle in 2000, while Henrythenavigator found only Raven's Pass too good 12 months ago.
"The horses arrived on Sunday. They'll go on the track tomorrow and have a trot and a canter," O'Brien said.
"Rip has been swimming against the tide all season and it is amazing where he is given the hiccups he has had.
"He's had bits and pieces of problems coming into this race, with one of his feet that hasn't been problematic thus far (this season).
"I hope it isn't going to affect him and we will see him out on the track tomorrow.
"With Rip you have to take it day by day all the time but we have been happy with him throughout the last week.
"I don't think the surface will be a problem as he is a fluent and easy mover.
"He is total athlete and we will see out he handles it when he goes out for a hack tomorrow."
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RIP VAN WINKLE, who has established himself as one of the season's stars despite recurring training problems, is having to deal with a fresh setback during the run up to the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Aidan O'Brien, after a lengthy visit to his Cup runners in the quarantine barn at Santa Anita on Tuesday morning, said: "This horse has had no clean run this year and he hasn't had one this time." The problem is again a foot problem but this time a different foot is affected.
Asked if the problem was serious enough to endanger Rip Van Winkle's appearance in the Classic on Saturday, for which he is 6-4 favourite with William Hill, O'Brien replied: "I hope not. He goes to the track on Wednesday and we will see. With Rip Van Winkle it's always been day by day. What he's done up to now I've been amazed that he's been able to do."
Confirming that Mastercraftsman will run in the Dirt Mile, O'Brien explained: "His best form ever was in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last year over six furlongs on fast ground when they went all the way. There was a very impressive Coventry Stakes winner in the field (Art Connoisseur) and he totally blew him out. The reason Mastercraftsman was so impressive, we believe, is that he has so much speed and the pace was so strong. Which Breeders' Cup race is he going to get the most pace? The Dirt Mile."
O'Brien added: "There is always a risk with three-year-olds at this time of year, and both horses have had a hard season, but we are happy with them."
Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien said that Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) contender Rip Van Winkle is fine and did not show any indications of his recurring foot problems when he went to the track at Santa Anita early Nov. 4.
"Everything went well," O’Brien said after observing his large Breeders’ Cup World Championships contingent on the track for the first time. "Everything is fine. He didn’t lose the movement. His foot seems fine. His off-hind was giving him a little bit of trouble couple of weeks back, but it has been fine the last week."
O’Brien said Rip Van Winkle’s foot problems this year started last winter when the colt developed an infection in his heels.
"He got a a very bad infection in his heels over the winter and the infection got into all his feet," the trainer said. "The layers were coming off as the as the whole year went through... it’s amazing that he has raced at all. I have never seen a horse go through what he has gone through and he kept doing it."
Owned by Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor, Rip Van Winkle has won half of his eight career starts and earned $915,117. Included among his victories this year were consecutive group I wins in the BGC Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, in his most recent start on Sept. 26.
Assessing his colt’s chances against a well-balanced Classic field that sports 10 grade/group I winners, O’Brien said Rip Van Winkle will be competitive if he runs to the level he showed during his European season.
"He is the most natural athlete I have ever had," O’Brien said. "He is a beautiful mover. Rip is a very brilliant horse. But he has had a long hard season, and he has been swimming against the tide all season. The journey (shipping to the U.S.) took a little more out of him than the others and I was very worried until this morning. If we can get him anywhere close to what he can do (he will win). That is what you dream and hope for. "
O’Brien said Rip Van Winkle and most of the other Breeders’ Cup horses in his barn will not run on the anti-bleeder medication Salix because they have not shown any indication they need it. The only O’Brien runner entered to run on anti-bleeder medication is Man of Iron, who runs in the Marathon.
The trainer said not using Salix when his horses run in the U.S. is a departure from past practices. Race-day medications are prohibited in Europe but many overseas stables generally use allowable medications when their horses run in the U.S., especially in the Breeders’ Cup.
"Our attitude always was ‘when in Rome do as the Romans do’," he explained. "Our Breeders’ Cup horses did run on Lasix (the forerunner of Salix) before. He (Man of Iron) had a little bit of a cold during the season and the others didn’t. We reckon if we can them to perform near the ratings they ran at home, they all have big chances. There is a chance it (Salix) might flatten them. I would be for no medication. We don’t use any medication at home. The theory is that our horses always have to be sold it they are not good enough to be stallions. So the belief is to have them in a way they can be sold so there is no artificial damage done to them. Who knows what is the right thing? We decided to leave them be natural and do what we’ve been doing all year."
Aidan O'Brien feels Rip Van Winkle represents his best ever chance of winning the Breeders' Cup Classic.
O'Brien came close last year when Henrythenavigator finished second to Raven's Pass, while Giant's Causeway occupied the same position in 2000.
With Rip Van Winkle's well-documented foot complaint now seemingly healed, O'Brien has backed the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero to go one place better.
The star colt also gave off the right signals in an encouraging piece of work, in tandem with Ballydoyle's other Breeders' Cup challengers, at the racetrack on Wednesday morning.
O'Brien said: "They didn't do much, they just had a trot and a hack and all went well.
"I was very happy, having been a little worried about Rip, as the journey took a lot out of him.
"He's had a long, hard season but I was very happy with him this morning.
"It was the first time he'd had someone on his back since arriving in America and he didn't lose the movement.
"I like to see them having a good sweat after travelling and being in quarantine for so long - it gets the system clear.
"Rip is one of those horses who has no problems sweating. I'd have been more worried if he had not have been sweaty.
"His foot seems fine. There was a little bit of an issue on his off-hind - and that's one area that we haven't had a problem with before - but everyone's happy with it and it's been good the last week.
"He's a horse who is very exuberant and you could see from his action this morning that he was moving well.
"It was his first day on the track, and we didn't want to do too much in the heat.
"Rip is a very brilliant horse but has had a long season and has been swimming against the tide.
"He's probably the most natural athlete we've ever had.
"I have to be careful talking about him as the feel we got out of him this morning maybe makes you say too much.
"He hadn't been on this surface (Pro-Ride) until this morning, but he floated on it and is a beautiful mover.
"I suppose I've no doubt in the world that he is our best chance in the Classic, if the season hasn't taken its toll.
"If he's anywhere close to how he was at Ascot or Goodwood, then you'd hope and dream that he can win."
A relieved Aidan O'Brien expressed himself delighted with Rip Van Winkle's condition after the favourite for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic displayed his usual smooth-actioned athleticism during gentle exercise at Santa Anita on Wednesday.
O'Brien, in particularly upbeat mood, gave Rip Van Winkle's supporters fresh fuel for confidence having previously voiced concern that the son of Galileo, who has been plagued with foot problems allyear, would be hampered by a reoccurence.
After the Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner had been give an easy canter, O'Brien declared: "I was very worried this morning. You could see the journey in him and he's been a little bit quiet the last few days, but as he went round the track this morning I was very happy, as happy as you can be after a slow piece of work. He didn't lose his movement. His foot seems fine.
"We won't really know if the season has taken its toll until he runs, but Rip is a very brilliant horse, probably the most natural athlete we've ever had.
"This horse gives it all. You have to be careful talking about him because the feel you get from him this morning makes you maybe say too much. The feel, the movement that he has.
"This is a very special horse and I have no doubt that we have never before come here with a horse of this calibre. If we can get him to perform close to what he can do, he should give a really good account of himself."