Rip battles for fitness ahead of 2,000 Guineas

Aidan O’Brein is optimistic about market favourite Rip Van Winkle’s prospects of appearing in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas following a recent setback.

Rip Van Winkle is believed to have sustained a stone bruise to a front leg on Monday, and is in a race against time to regain full fitness.

“We poulticed Rip Van Winkle’s foot overnight and when we removed the poultice this morning there was a lot of pus in it, which was encouraging,” O’Brien told the Independent. “But we will still have to wait and see how things go over the next couple of days.”

Rip Van Winkle remains a steady favourite in the 2,000 Guineas betting markets despite his setback, and is currently priced 4/1 to beat race favourite, Delegator, on Saturday.

While O’Brien waits on Rip Van Winkle’s progress, Sir Michael Stoute’s Evasive looks set to appear in the 2,000 Guineas after recovering from a foot abscess.

“Thankfully it was a very temporary thing,” Stoute said after his horse returned lame from training on Monday. “He was sound later that morning and was fine when we checked him over, but he hasn’t had the easiest of preparations.”