Brilliant Galileo colt Rip Van Winkle carried the famous navy blue Coolmore colours to victory in the Group One Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood overnight, reports breednet.com.au.It adds: Johnny Murtagh powered his mount two lengths clear of Group One Queen Anne Stakes winner Paco Boy, with Group One 1,000 Guineas and Group One Coronation Stakes heroine Ghanaati to join an illustrious roll of honour in the famous Goodwood mile event.It was a well-deserved first Group One success for Rip Van W
Brilliant Galileo colt Rip Van Winkle carried the famous navy blue Coolmore colours to victory in the Group One Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood overnight, reports breednet.com.au.
It adds: Johnny Murtagh powered his mount two lengths clear of Group One Queen Anne Stakes winner Paco Boy, with Group One 1,000 Guineas and Group One Coronation Stakes heroine Ghanaati to join an illustrious roll of honour in the famous Goodwood mile event.
It was a well-deserved first Group One success for Rip Van Winkle, who was bred by Italian trainer Roberto Brogi, following a fine second in the 10-furlong Group One Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on his previous start.
Rip Van Winkle was overcoming an 11th hour lameness scare to give trainer Aidan O'Brien back-to-back wins in the Sussex Stakes following the victory last year of Henrythenavigator, whos is due in Australia this spring.
He also won the race with Giant's Causeway (2000) and Rock Of Gibraltar (2002), both horses now highly successful members of the Coolmore stallion roster.
A quarter crack in the colt's hoof had set alarm bells ringing at Ballydoyle last evening with the trainer ready to withdraw the son of Galileo at the start if necessary.
A visibly relieved O'Brien, who dashed back from the start in time to see Rip Van Winkle hold off Paco Boy in the final stages of the race, said: "I only saw the last furlong but what can I say about this horse? That was very special - he's an amazing horse."