2014 has been one heck of a ride for Rip Van Winkle, winning some very nice races including some valuable black-type with his first crop of juveniles and I can't wait to see him continue in this vain for years to come which makes him yet another hot young sire to follow on the Coolmore breeding roster.
Rip Van Winkle was foaled on 12th February 2006 in Ireland by Roberto Brogi and of course sent into training with Aidan O'Brien under the ownership of the powerful Coolmore triumvarent of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Who could of predicted he was going to be as good as he was. Rip Van Winkle won on debut cosily before winning the Group 3 Tyros Stakes on just his 2nd start, joining a list of exceptional winners in the past such as Teofilo and New Approach. At 3, Rip Van Winkle had to put up with Sea The Stars, who was of course a true champion but he still came out with 2 Group 1 wins to his name over 1m in the Sussex Stakes and QEII and was awarded champion 3yo miler for his efforts. At 4, Rip Van Winkle had a few niggles of injury revisit from his 3yo campaign and although he was winless for most of the campaign, he was back to his best when a winning favourite of the International Stakes at York by half a length. His last 2 starts sadly didn't go to plan and was beaten on soft ground by Cape Blanco in the Irish Champion Stakes and nailed on the line by Poets Voice in the QEII at Ascot a few weeks later. Rip Van Winkle was then retired to Coolmore Stud for the 2011 breeding season.
Rip Van Winkle has made an excellent start to life at stud, with his first crop of yearlings selling for 400,000, 300,000, 280,000, 230,000 and 240,000 plus many more. Dick Whittington got the ball rolling in pattern company for his sire, impressively winning the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes before improving significantly when providing his sire with his first Group 1 victory at stud, with him not necessarily running away, but again impressive in the Phoenix Stakes. Rip Van Winkle also had a Group 3 1-2 in 2014 with I Am Beautiful and Jeanne Girl, who are both very nice fillies when given their ideal conditions and a race to suit. Jessica Harrington admires the latter and was quoted as saying 'she is a pretty smart filly'. (I Am Beautiful right, Jeanne Girl centre on right hand side).
At the end of the 2014 season, Rip Van Winkle had twenty-three winners from fifteen two-year-olds, including Princess Charm, Dick Whittington, I Am Beautiful, Jeanne Girl, Yeenaan, Stravagante and Home Cummins, including those aforementioned Group wins thanks to Dick Whittington and I Am Beautiful.
In 2015, Rip Van Winkle has had twenty one winners from eighty two runners, including Princess Charm, a Listed winner in Saint-Cloud, Stravagante, an impressive handicap winner at Epsom, Van Wilder, a maiden winner at Wolverhampton, and Father Frost, a maiden winner at Cork. He definitely hasn't hit the heights that he was expected too this season, but it is still very early days in his career and he has many years of success ahead of him, which means he still remains a hot young sire to follow.
I have attached some photos below of Rip Van Winkle when he arrived at stud in 2011 thanks to the exceptional photography by my very good friend Gerry Childs (Twitter handle @Epsom1780). I am sure they you will all enjoy them. I would also like to thank Gerry for the photo of Rip Van Winkle above in the Epsom Derby.
