THE dual champion Rip Van Winkle made an excellent start to his stud career in 2014, when he was seventh on the list of leading first crop sires in Europe by money won, with 16 individual winners of 23 races, including two group scorers. His star was undoubtedly Dick Whittington, out of a mare by Danehill, who carried off the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, where he also won the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes. Dick Whittington was officially rated one of the top 10 two-year-olds of 2014 on 115, only 4lb below the champion Belardo.

Two of Rip Van Winkle’s daughters, I Am Beautiful and Jeanne Girl, were first and second in the Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes at the Curragh. Then last weekend the filly Magic Dancer, from Rip Van Winkle’s first New Zealand crop, was an easy winner of the Group 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic there.