Rip'ped apart by O'Brien pacemaker

CAPE'able Aiden O'Brien dominates in Ireland while McCoy shows what is to come after the flat season!

(Rip Van Wincle: Beaten by Cape Blanco in Ireland)

It was not all fun and games this Saturday at Leapardstown as hot jolly Rip Van Wincle failed to make the cut allowing O'Brien's "pacemaker" to claim the rewards of the Irish showpiece.

We may have all been fooled this weekend with winner of the Irish Derby Cape Blanco destroying the all star field seeing Henry Cecil's Twice Over and O'Briens favoured horse Rip Van Wincle winner of the Juddmonte International at York left behind in the wake of a five and a half length success.


That was no small feat either, to be victorious by five lengths in a field containing the best flat horses around while making them look like debutants Cape Blanco under a confident Heffernan ride stole the show...and it must be said, the punters money.


At 8/11 Rip Van Wincle could not seem to get a smooth voyage through to head proceedings as he appeared to be boxed in and lose valuable pace and ground on the eventual winner. From the start of the race O Brien's second string led and seemed to never run out of steam making the event look like a stroll in the park and giving Aiden O'Brien his seventh winner in the event.


Across the water at Haydock Park O'Brien was teeing up for the Sprint Cup with Starspangledbanner until Markhab ruined the festivities with the O'Brien horse beaten three and three quarter lengths into fifth spot giving jockey Pat Cosgrove a share of the £163,810 prize money.


This week sees the opening of the St Leger meeting at Doncaster on Wednesday to mark the closure of the flat racing season. AP McCoy was at Fontwell Park today to give punters a taster of what is to come in the winter months with the champion's performance on the heavily backed Another Trump for trainer Jonjo O'Neill in the opener at Worcester today in a typical AP finish.

(A P erfect finish: McCoy riding out a finish)