Breeding & Racing Magazine

Rip Van Winkle Joins Windsor Park Roster At NZ$25k

NZ's Windsor Park Stud announced Coolmore's triple Gr1-winning & 4-time Gr1-placed 5YO 1st-season stallion Rip Van Winkle (Galileo-Looking Back, by Stravinsky) will stand his initial southern hemisphere breeding season this year at NZ$25,000+GST. Rip Van Winkle was the highest-rated 3YO Turf Miler in the World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2009 following Gr1 victories in the UK Sussex Stakes (8 furlongs) at Goodwood & UK Gr1 Queen Elizabeth ll Stakes (8 furlongs) at Ascot; he also ended that season with a Timeform rating of 134. And during 2010 he added victory in the UK Gr1 Juddmonte International Stakes (10.5 furlongs) at York & was rated the best 4YO Turf Miler & equal-best Turf Intermediate racehorse (with Australian champ So You Think) on the World Thoroughbred Rankings. Overall he recorded 5 wins (also 2008's Irish Gr3 Tyros Stakes over 7 furlongs at Leopardstown) & 4 runners-up (in 2010's UK Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over 8 furlongs at Ascot, Gr1 Irish Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown & UK Gr1 Sussex Stakes over 8 furlongs at Goodwood, plus 2009's UK Gr1 Eclipse Stakes over 10 furlongs at Sandown Park) from 14 starts for US$1.913 million earnings.