The New Zealand stallion ranks have been dealt a blow with the death of Windsor Park Stud’s Rip Van Winkle after a short illness. He was 14 years old.
By Galileo out of the Stravinsky mare Looking Back, Rip Van Winkle was trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners to win five races including the Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Juddmonte International.
Rip Van Winkle began his stud career at Coolmore’s Irish base before transferring to Windsor Park Stud, from where he supplied the likes of the Group 1-winning pair Te Akau Shark and Jennifer Eccles.
Windsor Park Stud’s Rodney Schick said: “It’s a devastating blow for us and the industry losing a successful sire, especially one who has just enjoyed a great season on the racetrack.
“We can only look forward to the remaining crops he has to come and to the impact his daughters make at stud.”
Miss Yoda takes German Oaks
There was a first German Oaks winner for jockey Frankie Dettori on Sunday when he partnered the John Gosden-trained Miss Yoda to victory in the Classic at Dusseldorf.
The daughter of Sea The Stars was recording a first win since taking the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield in June. Despite hanging left inside the final two furlongs, she responded well when headed by Zamrud to get back up and score by three quarters of a length.
Dettori told the Racing Post: “She jumped good. I wanted to be in front and I was in front by the bend. She was flowing with a lovely action.
“When I turned for home, she was thinking of going back to the stables and she stopped a bit but then I said ‘come on, concentrate’ and she went.”
Today’s racing
There are Flat meetings from Haydock, Windsor, Yarmouth and Naas today while there is a jumps fixture at Roscommon.