In the.61 years I have been ‘going to the trots’ I have seen all the very best pacer’s who raced in that period…but I consider this one the best, Better than Caduceus, Cardigan Bay, Hondo Grattan, Paleface Adios, Popular Alm, Black;s A Fake all of them. NO horse that I saw could make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck with the pure adrenalin rush that this horse gave me, time and time again. I consider him the best 2yo I have ever seen, the best 3yo I have ever seen AND the best combined 2,3 and 4yo pacer I have EVER seen. He could get the pulses ‘racing’ more than any other horse I have seen in my lifetime. Little wonder he is still remembered after all this time.
And this is HIS story.
GREAT HARNESS HORSES 1960-1980
RIP VAN WINKLE
The Rip Van Winkle story begins, as so many other of my stories have, at the Sydney Yearling Sales. Rip was bred by John Campbell in Victoria and was by Thor Hanover from Thelma Lass. Thor Hanover was one of the many sires imported by Noel Simpson, a man of vision who did much to improve the sires roster in this country. Thor Hanover went on to become Australia’s leading sire many times over, helped, no doubt, by Rip Van Winkle during HIS racing career. Rip carried the blood of Raider, Silver Peak, U. Scott and Jack Potts in his veins so it was no wonder he turned out as good as he was. Sent to the 1975 Parramatta Livestock Sales he was bought by little known Maitland trainer/driver Michael Vanderkemp for the bargain price of just $2,200.
RVW had his first start at Menangle on 20-1-76 in a 2yo event. Starting at 5-2, he broke badly at the start and lost an enormous amount of ground, but made it up gradually until he caught the field. Making his run in the last lap he failed by just 9 metres, running 3rd to Jeremiah Johnson and Three Threes. He had his next start at HP 2 weeks later in a heat of the Youthful Stakes. Despite his drawing barrier 10 he was backed from 5-2 into 7-4 favourite, obviously plenty of good judges had seen, or heard of, his first run. Getting away slowly but safely, he settled towards the rear of the field and was placed 8th with 600 metres to go. He then unleashed a burst of speed rarely, if EVER, seen from a ‘raw’ 2yo! So fast did he sprint that he went from 8th to the front in just 200 metres and came around the home turn well in front and being eased down to win by 19 metres. He was timed to run his last 600 metres in under 44 seconds, sensational time for a young 2yo. In the Final the following week he led all the way from barrier 3 to win by 10 metres from Bamyili while never out of second gear.
He then went to Bathurst 5 nights later for the Debutant Stakes. At the start he was on his worst behaviour again and, when the tapes were released, veered in colliding with Gay Remo and lost a lot of ground. With a lap to go he broke again and finished up running 10th! Nine nights later he was back at HP for the heats of the NSW Sapling Stakes. In his heat he drew against Sammy Karamea, Victoria’s best 2yo. Sammy went straight to the front with Rip sitting outside him all the way. With a lap to go he put his head in front and REALLY started applying the pressure to Sammy Karamea. These two horses then raced right away from the rest of the field and had their own private ‘2 horse war’. Sammy Karamea came back to get HIS head in front at the 400 metre mark and led into the straight but Rip just had too much for Sammy and got up to win by a metre with the 3rd horse 26 metres further back. Despite his hard run outside the leader all the way, RVW came home his last 600 in 44.3 and his last half mile in 59.5. In the Final the following week Rip put up a sensational effort to win. He, once again, broke at the start, and lost a conservative 50 metres, but once he got pacing made up his ground well to be in 6th place at the bell. Down the back straight Vanderkemp pulled him 3 and 4 wide and he sprinted VERY quickly to have the race ‘shot to bits’ on the home turn, and he just coasted to a comfortable 10 metre win. Sammy Karamea raced like a tired horse to finish unplaced and appeared to be STILL getting over his hard run from the previous week. Rip Van Winkle’s prizemoney earnings for the last month came to over $15,000 for just 4 weeks work. Compare that to the earnings of Nicotine Prince who set the record for a 2yo in 1970-1971 of $21,700, or Paleface Adios who, for the following season won $18,200. It was after this win that some sections of the Media were asking if THIS was the best 2yo we had ever seen! Then an incredible offer was made to buy the horse.
Brian Gath acting as agent for the owners of top class Victorian pacer, Apres Ski, offered $100,000 for Rip. This was an ENORMOUS amount of money 34 years ago for a 2yo who had only won 4 of his 6 starts to date and was known as a bad barrier horse. To put the amount into perspective consider this. The most money won by ANY horse at that time was $205,753 won by Paleface Adios and the $100,000 represented a bit more than 48% of that amount. Todays prizemoney record is the $4,575,438 won by Black’s A Fake and 48% of that is $2.196,210. Could you imagine someone TODAY wanting to buy a 2yo with 4 wins from 6 starts and offering almost $2.2 million! Yet that is what was offered, by comparison, back in 1976 for Rip. The offer was turned down.
RVW had his next start in the time honoured Edgar Tatlow Stakes. This was to be his first time from behind a mobile barrier and when he drew number 1 he was made an unbackable 1-10 favourite. Jumping straight to the front, he led all the way and won very easily by 14 metres. Two weeks later he had his first start on his ‘home’ track of Maitland in the N.E. Districts Sapling Stakes. He was sent out at 1-25 and just cruised to a 20 metre victory. Next was the Country 2yo Championship at HP 2 weeks later. At the start he broke and lost a fair amount of ground and when he was improving he dislodged a kneeboot and lost more ground. He was tailed off for a fair part of the race but eventually caught the field and went around to sit outside the leader, Rowan Garry. In the last lap he tried hard to catch the leader but he had used too much ‘juice’ making up his lost ground, was STILL being inconvenienced by the loose boot, and finished 2nd beaten 3½ metres with the 3rd horse 16 metres further back.
Ten days later he was in the Nation’s Capitol to contest the National Stallion Stakes. Rip broke at the start and lost a lot of ground and was improving when he broke again and lost another 60 metres! Despite these setbacks he STILL finished 2nd to Sammy Karamea with the 3rd horse 25 metres further back. Given a 6 week ‘breather’, Rip next appeared at HP on 11-6-76 in the heats of the Challenge Stakes. From the mobile he was away well and had a brief struggle with Rowan Garry for the lead, but he had FAR too much speed and led all the way to win by 10 metres from Brilliant Water in a fast 2-1 9/10. In the final the following week he led all the way to win easily by 8 metres from Sammy Karamea. He then travelled north to contest the Queensland Sapling Stakes at Albion Park.
In his heat on 19-6-76 he won easily running a new race record, and in the Final the following week he took full advantage of the mobile barrier to lead all the way and broke the record he had set the previous week. He also set a new prizemoney record for a 2yo as well, with almost $37,000 won for the season, easily eclipsing the previous best by Nicotine Prince of $21,800. As well he set a new record at HP for the most wins by a 2yo in a season, winning 7 races, and beating the old record of 6 wins held jointly by Don’t Retreat, Bilpin Boy and Tudor Royal. He was then spelled. As a 2yo Rip Van Winkle had 14 starts for 10 wins and 3 placings. Only his aversion to standing starts had prevented him from going through the season unbeaten. He was, of course, voted 2yo Pacer of the Year.
On 30-7-76 his home club, Maitland, honoured him as the season’s top 2yo, by presenting him with a cake with 3 candles on it to celebrate Rip turning 3 the next day.
Rip Van Winkle had a 3 month spell and returned to HP as a 3yo on 29-10-76 looking MUCH bigger and more powerful. He was in another standing start event and up against some pretty promising pacers, a future Miracle Mile winner being one of the contestants, so he was sent out at the ‘safe’ odds of 8-13. He was away well and settled midfield until the 600 metre mark when Vanderkemp let him go and he produced his very fast sprint to race to the lead in the space of 200 metres. He just coasted to the line to beat Fancy Dick by 10 metres with The Scotsman 3rd. What was REALLY impressive was his final half mile of 57.5, an incredible time for a young 3yo on the HP track of that time. And he appeared to do it in ‘second gear’! A week later he was at Penrith for the heats of the Provincial Derby and racing against his 2yo nemesis, Rowan Garry, for the first time this season. From barrier 8 he was slowly away but caught the field fairly easily and went straight around the field to lead after a lap. From there it was a procession with Rip winning by 20 metres from Rowan Garry with Tornado Prince 3rd. In the Final the following week he turned in another of his unforgettable performances. Badly away, he was a LONG last but gradually caught the field and eventually settled in 7th place. Approaching the home turn the last time Vanderkemp sprinted him to the lead and in the straight he held off ALL challengers to win by 3 metres from Phengory Van.
On 22-11-76 he raced at Fairfield and was on his worst behaviour at barrier rise, breaking badly and being tailed off. He eventually caught the field and then went up to sit outside the leader but the hard run told and he could only finish 2nd to Magic Touch, beaten 3½ metres. He then raced at HP 14 nights later off 10 metres in a 3yo event. He was away reasonably well from his backmark and was making a move to go around the field when Kotare Byrd hung in and contacted African Hondo, resulting in a ‘chain reaction’ which saw Rip checked and lose MORE ground. Catching the field AGAIN, he stayed in last place until the bell lap when he sprinted up to sit outside the leader. From there it was easy as he reeled off a final half of 59.2 to win in second gear by 8 metres. He then travelled to Victoria for the first time.
He raced at Kilmore on 13-12-76 in the heats of the Victorian Sires Produce Stakes. From his second row draw he was inconvenienced at the start and lost ground settling about 30 metres behind the 2nd last horse. Once he caught the field he went straight up towards the lead and settled outside the leader. Despite racing against a VERY strong field, giving them ALL a start, and having the hardest run in the race, he was STILL much too good and beat Abidair with Rowan Garry 3rd. Nine nights later he raced in the Final at Mooney Valley. Starting at 4-7 favourite, it was the 15th consecutive time he had started ‘in the red’, and the 20th time as favourite in his 21 race career to date. He got away well and went straight up to sit outside the leader, Abidair. Down the back the last time he raced well clear and was 4 lengths in front coming into the home straight. Despite easing down to ‘just’ win by 8 metres from Sammy Karamea with Rowan Garry 10 metres further back in 3rd place, RVW equalled the track record rating 2.4 6/10 for the 2000 metre event.
He then came back to HP for the heats of the NSW Sires Produce Stakes. In a very strong field, he was driven this night by Laurie Moulds as Michael Vanderkemp was serving a 1 month suspension for careless driving. Rowan Garry led with Rip 7th early but he made a move to go up and sit outside the leader. He went to the front at the 400 metre mark but was run down by Armadene and finished 2nd with Rowan Garry 25 metres further back 3rd. In the final the follwing week Rip drew barrier 1 from the mobile and, consequently, was sent out a raging hot 2-5 favourite. Jumping straight to the lead, he gave a powerful display of frontrunning and ran his opponents off their feet, coming home his last half in 57.9, last 600 in 42.5 and last 400 in 28.7 to beat Rowan Garry by 18 metres. It was an awesome display of complete superiority.
Given 6 weeks off, he next appeared at MV in the heats of the Victorian Derby. Jumping straight to the front, he led all the way to win by 20 metres from King Carramar with Armadene 3rd. In the Final 3 nights later he went straight to the front and led easily. With a lap to go Abidair took him on seriously for the lead, but was unsuccessful. He DID, however, leave him as a ‘sitting shot’ for Sammy Karamea who had done nothing and got up to beat him by 2 metres with Abidair 3rd. It was the last time he would be beaten as a 3yo.
Back at HP 3 weeks later for the heats of the NSW Derby, Rip drew barrier 9 from behind the mobile. He got away well and was looking to improve his position when he was inconvenienced by Sammy Karamea. Sammy’s driver, Brian Gath (the man who tried to buy Rip earlier), was cautioned for careless driving but left RVW badly placed 5th on the rails. He was locked in there until the home turn, but once he saw ‘daylight’ sprinted VERY quickly to win running away without ever being shown the whip. Sammy Karamea ran 2nd with Red Gent 3rd. The next day he raced at Taree, 200 miles north of Sydney, in the North Eastern Districts Derby. Starting at 1-7, Rip had nothing more than a workout to win by 31 metres. The following Friday he was back at HP for the Derby Final. From barrier 2 he sped from the mobile to go to the front and lead all the way, coming home his last half in 58.6 and his last 400 in 28.7, to beat Armadene by 13 metres with the very good mare, Margaret Shannon, 3rd. Despite just jogging home he STILL ran a new race record rating 2.3 3/10 for the 2300 metre event.
Next was the Country 3yo Championship a week later. Rip broke very badly at the start and lost a lot of ground, but he caught the field, went to the front at the 1600 mark and was unextended to win by 10 metres from Good Medicine. It was a terrific win and wildly applauded by the huge crowd. Six nights later he was in the R.C. Simpson Sprint and had drawn 3 from behind the mobile barrier. The only question on anyone’s mind was not WOULD he win, but by how MUCH he would win by and in what time! Paleface Adios had set the standard way back on 6-4-73 when he went 1.59 and set a new Australasian record, winning by 25 metres. Could Rip beat THAT time? Could he what! Rip jumped straight to the front and ran his first half in 59.8 then came home his last half in 58.9 with 29.9 for the last quarter. On the home turn he was 5 lengths in front and eventually won by 22 metres from Margaret Shannon and ran 1.58 7/10, breaking Paleface Adios’s race record, going within 3/10’s of a second of the track record, and becoming only the second Australian 3yo to break 2.0 in a race. Interestingly the on-air 2KY announcer, Ian Craig , said during the running of the race, “Vanderkemp takes a hold on RVW” and further “he’s not out to make any sort of time whatsoever”, so easily did he seem to be racing! He was officially the fastest 3yo EVER outside America, also eclipsing NZ’s best 3yo times of 1.59.7 set by Belmer’s Image and Smokey Lopez. It is also interesting to note that his time was faster than 8 of the 11 Miracle Mile winners to date. One can only wonder what time he COULD have run if there was a horse who could have ‘pushed’ him right out in the race! With this win he took his prizemoney to $83,715 in just 15 months of racing and his HP record stood at 16 starts for 14 wins and 2 seconds!
A week later he contested the Southern Cross Stakes, leading most of the way to win by 7 metres from Jerry Vin and coming home his last half in 59.8, last 600 42.8 and last 400 28.5 to give nothing else a chance. He started at 1-12 for those who wanted to back him! After this race Owen Dally, writing in the Trotguide, said that Rip Van Winkle might just be the best pacer ever seen in this part of the world!
A month later he contested a heat of the Wills 3yo Classic at Penrith, and started at 1-8 DESPITE it being a standing start event! Rip jumped straight to the front and led all the way, winning by 15 metres. Twelve nights later he contested the Final at Fairfield and, once again, made it a one horse affair, winning by 20 metres. He then travelled to Queensland to finish off his 3yo season.
His first race at Albion Park was in the heats of the Queensland Derby, where he started at 1-12 and won by 20 metres. With this win he became the first 3yo ever to win over $100,000, with his earnings now $101,485.
In the Final the following week he started at 1-14, went to the lead at the 1800 mark and was unextended from there, winning by 12 metres and taking his earnings to $111,285, the most ever won by a 3yo outside the U.S.A. It was decided he would take on the open class pacers at his last start for the season in the Sunshine Sprint. It proved another easy win for this outstanding 3yo, comfortably beating Jolie Hanover and Tarport John.
As a 3yo Rip Van Winkle had 22 starts for 18 wins and 4 seconds and had won his last 11 in a row. He was the first to win the 3yo Trifecta, Derby, Sires Produce and Southern Cross Stakes. He was voted 3yo of the year but also became the FIRST 3yo to be voted Harness Horse of the Year!
The big question on everybody’s lips was: would Rip come back as a BETTER horse in his 4yo season! Over the years many very good 2 and 3yo’s had failed to ‘back up’ after fairly torrid juvenile seasons, would RVW be one of them or would he take the next step and move up a grade. They didn’t have long to wait to find out.
Rip had a 4 month spell and was due to return to the track on 7-10-77 at HP in the heats of the Australasian 4yo Championship. He drew barrier 10 but bookies were taking NO chances with him from the mobile barrier. He opened up at 1-3, but with half an hour to go to his race and betting already under way, he was not on course! His float had broken down on the trip from Maitland and he wasn’t on the track when betting began! With 25 minutes to go he arrived, but the bookies started taking chances with him, based on his late arrival and rumours that he had not been working well. From 1-3 he came into 1-1 but eventually started at 4-5, the 31st consecutive time he had started in the red!
He got away well from the mobile and as soon as the field had settled went up 3 wide to sit outside the leader where he stayed for the entire trip. He took the lead on the home turn and held off all challenges to win, coming home his last half in 59.5. He also ran a new race record. For those ‘omen’ punters the quinella was a ‘moral’ with Sleepy Fella coming 2nd! Eights nights later he was in Melbourne for the Winfield Cup. It attracted a top class field which included Dimante Hanover, Don’t Retreat, Apres Ski, Paleface Adios and Pure steel. Rip started at 10-1, an unbelievable price for such a talented horse but due, no doubt, to the quality of the opposition. From his front row draw, Paleface Adios led from the mobile with Rip, who drew the second row, settling down last. In the middle stages he was sent up to sit outside Paleface and kept the pace on from there with Pure Steel sitting in the 1×1. On the home turn he challenged seriously with Pure Steel joining in to make it a three horse battle right down to the line. At the post Paleface was a ½neck in front of Steelo with Rip a ½head away 3rd. It was win number 80 for the 8yo ‘Temora Tornado’, and took his stake earnings to $385,783! The huge crowd were VERY vocal in their appreciation of this terrific race.
Back to HP six nights later for the Final of the 4yo Championship, Rip drew 5 behind the mobile and started at 1-5. At the start he had an early duel with Sleepy Fella for the lead but his superior speed saw him eventually take the front. From there it was just a procession as he coasted to an 8 metre victory from Sleepy Fella (there was that quinella again!) with Abidair 3rd. His time was also a new record. A week later he took on all the top class pacers when he contested the heats of the Spring Cup. The contenders included Australia’s fastest race mare, Roma Hanover, Australian Pacing Championship winner, Markovina, Grand Circuit Champion, Paleface Adios, National Harness Horse of the year, Don’t Retreat, and future Inter Dominion winner, Koala King. If EVER there was to be a baptism of fire, this would be it.
From the stand, Rip was away OK and settled towards the rear. At the bell he was 3 wide and challenging, led into the straight and won unextended. The next set of heats a week later would see Rip turn in one of his really great performances. He broke at the start and lost a fair amount of ground. Once he caught the field he stayed at the rear until the 600 metre mark when he was ‘set alight’. Coming home his last 600 in a very fast 42.8 and his last quarter in 28.9 he was too good for EVERY other runner, with Paleface Adios closest 6 metres away 2nd and Dimante Hanover 15 metres further back in 3rd. It was an absolutely sensational win and the crowd went wild with excitement when he returned to scale. The Trotguide was moved to write that “Rip Van Winkle is poised to take over as the nation’s most outstanding pacer”. With this win RVW equalled one of the longest standing records at HP. Nineteen years earlier, Fettle won 10 consecutive races at HP between 12-1-57 and 25-10-58 and NO pacer since had managed to equal that record until now.
The Final on 4-11-77 promised to be a terrific race with an absolute top class field entered. They were (1) Gay Hondo (2) Michael Frost (3) Regal Belmont (4) Master Findlay (5) Koala King (6) Rip Van Winkle (7) Dimante Hanover (8) Roma Hanover (9) Paleface Adios and (10) Don’t Retreat. Rip started at 4-7 favourite and was placed about 5th, one wide, during the race. With 2 laps to go Colin Pike on Paleface Adios made a lightning move from the rear to try and get to the front. Vanderkemp tried to go with him but Paleface was in full flight and got to the front first leaving Rip to race outside him. In the final lap Paleface Adios and Rip Van Winkle went ‘hammer and tong’ for the full lap with neither giving in. Paleface led for home but, just as Rip put his head in front, Koala King, possesser of one of the fastest final sprints ever seen at HP, joined in, and these three great horses fought out a tremendous battle all the way down the straight. On the line it was Rip by a neck to Koala King with Paleface 3 metres further back. Rip Van Winkle became only the 3rd 4yo to win the Spring Cup and also broke Fettle’s 19 year old record of 10 consecutive wins at HP, the new record was now 11 and it belonged to RVW. In a happy coincidence Michael and Gwen Vanderkemp celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary on the night, the 11th day of the 11th month! Their happiness was not to last, however, as only a few short years later Mrs. Vanderkemp was tragically killed in a freak car accident.
Two weeks later Rip was in S.A. for the Australian Pacing Championship at Globe Derby. In his heat on the first night he was 2-7 favourite against a very strong field but still won easily. He was midfield early but coming to the home turn he sprinted powerfully to race to the front and was being eased down to win by 4 metres from Markovina with Aachen’s Folly 3rd. It was his 5th consecutive win. Three nights later he easily won his 2nd heat by 12 metres from Roma Hanover and Royal Force, that year’s Miracle Mile winner! He started at 1-4. In the Final on 3-12-77 he was 6th with 2 laps to go, outside the leader at the bell, and in a driving finish held off Milson’s Edition and Pure Steel to win in record time. It was his 7th consecutive win and took his earnings to $194,145.
There was some talk that he only won the series because he had a 20 metre start from Paleface Adios, so the host club put on an Invitation FFA over a mile a week after the Final. From the mobile he settled midfield and stayed there until the 400 mark when he sprinted VERY quickly to win, running away, by 10 metres from Paleface Adios with Conmurra Chief 3rd. His time was a new track record of 1.57 2/5. There was NO doubt after this win who was the better horse
Crossing the Nullabor, he contested a FFA at GP on 16-12-77, started 4-7 favourite, and won again, this time from Royal Force and Paleface Adios. It was his 9th consecutive win. He then contested the W.A. Pacing Cup series. On the first night with all mobiles over a mile, he started 4-9 favourite and won easily from Royal Force and Velvet Prince, clocking 1.59½ after coming home his last half in 59.5. Three nights later the second set of heats were over the 2300 metre distance from the mobile. Rip settled one out and 3 back and stayed there until the last lap, but sprinted very quickly to race to the lead and win unextended by 12 metres from Velvet Prince with Little William 3rd. It was his 11th straight win and his 23rd win in his last 24 starts!
In the final set of heats he was midfield early with Pure Steel outside the leader. Vanderkemp sent him up to try and get outside the leader but Steelo refused to hand up and left Rip 3 wide for the rest of the race. NO horse in the world could sit 3 wide outside Pure Steel and beat him. Rip Van Winkle, naturally, weakened to finish 9th. In the Final on 6-1-78 he was away well but was badly checked on the first turn, losing ground, and was checked again during the running of the race. Driver Les Poyser was subsequently suspended for the interference he caused to RVW. He sustained a flat tyre because of the interference and carried it for the entire race. The lost ground, double interference and flat tyre took it’s toll at the finish when he could only finish 3rd to Pure Steel and Nixon Adios. A month later he was at MV contesting a mobile FFA. The trip back, however, was quite eventful as his booked flight was cancelled and he had to be floated, taking over 40 hours!
From barrier 2 behind the mobile he jumped straight to the front and won unextended from Lincoln Star and Mount Thor, running 1.59½. The next race was the BIG ONE, the A.G. Hunter Cup.
Most champion horses are generally remembered for one, or more, of their greatest wins. It seems, however, that Rip Van Winkle will forever be remembered for a race he LOST, this next race. The Cup attracted a top class field and was a mobile event over 2900 metres. From barrier 2 Rip jumped well and led after a short tussle with Koala King. With Pure Steel leading the outside runners, Vanderkemp kept the pace on all the way, thereby preventing any moves from the rear. Down the back the last time Pure Steel worked up to be outside Rip and these two raced 5 lengths in front of the rest of the field and looked to have the race between them. Half way down the straight Pure Steel put his head in front with Rip looking like finishing 2nd, but in the last 50 yards he ‘got the wobbles’ badly and weakened to 5th. Pure Steel’s time was a new track record rate of 2.1 7/10.
Much has been made of the win. It has often been described as the toughest win ever seen, and few who saw it would disagree, but their comments about RVW were something else again. It was said that Pure Steel “destroyed Rip Van Winkle”, and those comments have echoed down the years. It was a well known Sydney identity who first made the comment, but I disagree completely with the statement. Let’s examine the FACTS. First, Rip Van Winkle WAS beaten by a better horse on the night, no question about that, but DESTROYED, I don’t think so! This was a VERY torrid race and it took it’s toll on the two main combatants. Pure Steel took 4 trips to the races before he won again and for the rest of the season only won 3 from 8 starts. RVW won at his 2nd start after the Cup and won 7 from 9 starts for the rest of the season! Was THAT the record of a ‘DESTROYED’ horse! I don’t think so!
Nine nights after the A.G. Hunter Cup, Rip was at Cranbourne for the Cup meeting. He was midfield early and challenged in the last lap, but his usual ‘zip’ was missing, he was still feeling the effects of his Hunter Cup run, and could only finish 5th. He was found to be suffering a kidney complaint and was scratched from the upcoming Inter Dominion. Entered for the Miracle Mile he drew barrier 2 and was favourite, but was scratched on the night when he was found to be carrying a hoof infection. He was given a 3 month spell.
He resumed 3 months later on 5-5-78 at HP in the 4yo Futurity. He had won the first two legs as a 2 and 3yo, and there was a $10,000 bonus to any horse who could win all three legs. If ANY hose could do it, Rip could! From barrier 5 behind the mobile he jumped straight to the front and led all the way beating Clem’s Gift and African Hondo. He started at 1-8 and was the first horse to win the Triple Crown Grand Slam. He ALSO had now extended his HP record to 12 consecutive wins. His earnings now stood at almost $250,000. He then travelled to AP for the Sir Clive Uhr Championship.
The first heats were on 3-6-78 and he led all the way to easily beat Roma Hanover and Tarport John. On the second night he was last early from his 15 metre handicap and on the rails at the tail of the field until well into the last lap. When he saw daylight he finished brilliantly, but just failed to catch Koala King by 4 metres. Driver, Michael Vanderkemp, was roundly criticised for this drive! For the Final his main rival was the outstanding trotter, Maori’s Idol, who had won both of his heats. Despite his 15 metre handicap and a standing start, Rip started 5-4 favourite, with the trotter, off the front, 6-4 second favourite. Rip was 3rd last early with Maori’s Idol leading. Down the back the last time he was 7th and 5 wide but coming home very quickly. Approaching the home turn he was 12 lengths behind Maori’s Idol but unleashed a tremendous sprint that saw him make up the ground, draw level with Maori’s Idol on the home turn, and race away to win easily in new track record time. The margin was 6 metres with Sammy Karamea 15 metres further back. After the race Michael Vanderkemp described Rip’s win as his greatest in his 44 wins to date. After this win his prizemoney stood at $285,000.
A week later he contested a Rockhampton FFA, started at 1-3, and led all the way to beat Junction Road and Conmurra Chief running a new Queensland record of 2.0 1/10 for the 1700 metre event. Back at AP 2 weeks later he was unextended to beat Roma Hanover by 8 metres and equalled the track record after starting at 1-8. Two weeks after that he contested a heat of the 4yo Championship, started at 1-20, and won by 35 metres. The following week he contested the Final, went to the lead at the bell and won unextended by 12 metres. It was his 48th win in 61 starts with earnings of $291,225. His connections were, at this time, considering an American campaign, after being invited to contest a $400,000 race at the Meadowlands, but this didn’t come to pass. As a 4yo Rip Van Winkle had 26 starts for 21 wins and 3 placings. He came 2nd to Pure Steel, beaten just 2 points, in the Grand Circuit Championship, after contesting just 4 of the 7 legs.
It is interesting to look at his HP record at this point. In his first 3 years of racing as a 2,3 and 4yo at the premier track in NSW, Harold Park, RVW had 23 starts for 21 wins and 2 seconds. These wins were against the very best 2 and 3yo’s in all the major age Classic races and as a 4yo against Australia’s best all aged horses. Not bad for a horse who was an absolute ‘dunce’ in standing start events, of which there were MANY more than there were mobiles, in that era.
Given 2 months off, Rip resumed as a 5yo at Muswellbrook on 2-10-78 in a FFA. Starting at 1-8, he had little trouble disposing of his opposition. Five nights later he was at MV for a FFA with his main opponent his Hunter Cup conqueror, Pure Steel. This was a sensational race with Vanderkemp and Ted Demmler, on Pure Steel, staging their own private ‘war’! There was much ‘jostling’ and at one stage Vanderkemp used his hand to try and ‘push’ Pure Steel inwards! The stewards took exception to their antics and gave Demmler two weeks and Vanderkemp 12 weeks, but this was later reduced on appeal. With all their ‘fighting’ each other the race got away from them, with Sunray winning, Rip finishing 4th and Pure Steel 3rd.
A week later he contested the Winfield Cup with Brian Gath driving. He was taken to the lead early and led most of the way, but weakened in the home straight and finished 4th to Koala King. Three nights later he was at HP for the Ansett Cup. He was last most of the way but came with a big run in the last lap to run 3rd beaten 4 metres by Koala King, again. A week later he was at AP for the Australian Pacing Championship.
With Vanderkemp now back driving him, stewards kept a close eye on the race as Ted Demmler was ALSO in there driving Watbro Del. From his 20 metre backmark he was slowly, but safely, away and took his time catching the field. He sat at the rear, on the rails, for a while but when he tried to come out and make a run Demmler ‘forced’ him back. Rip eventually finished 5th to Right Action, a horse who couldn’t get within ‘cooee’ of him 6 months earlier, and Ted Demmler got another suspension for his tactics! The
following week in the FFA heats he started at 1-4 and won easily, beating Michael Frost by 10 metres. For the Final on 2-12-78 he was back off 20 metres and started a warm 9-10 favourite. Last away and at the rear for most of the race,he made his run at the bell. Forced 4 and 5 wide for all of the last lap he could not make up much ground on the leaders and finished 7th to Michael Frost. What Vanderkemp didn’t know, until AFTER the race, was that the leaders were running in new track record time, and making it near impossible to make ground on them, particularly 4 and 5 wide from the back of the field!
He next raced at HP in a FFA on 29-12-78 but didn’t show his old ‘zip’ and could only finish 3rd to Master Findlay. The following week he contested the heats of the Australia Day Cup, finishing 5th in the first heats to Markovina, 4th on the 2nd night to The Scotsman and 6th in the Final to the same horse. Two weeks later he ran 3rd in another FFA and, because it was now obvious that he was NOT the same horse he was 6 months earlier, the decision was made to retire him to stud duties. As a 5yo Rip Van Winkle had 12 starts for just 2 wins and was just a ‘shadow’ of his former self. His full career total was 74 starts for 50 wins and 13 placings, an incredible record nevertheless. He retired with earnings of $295,950, not a bad return on the original investment of $2,200!
At stud Rip never sired a horse even remotely as good as himself. He produced 348 foals for 87 winners and $585,515 in prizemoney, not even double what he won himself!
Rip Van Winkle was a big, strong pacer with tremendous high speed and never failed to get the adrenalin flowing. He could do things that were beyond the imagination of other horses.
Reading his ‘stats’ is one thing but to REALLY appreciate this horse you had to SEE just how quickly he could make up lost ground on top class fields, how EASILY he could sprint from last to first, how EFFORTLESSLY he could race 5-8 lengths in front and hold it down to the wire and STILL run record times! I have a 1 hour video, from the late Brian Howard, on Rip Van Winkle, and it is recommended viewing for anyone who wants to see just how good this horse REALLY was.
Despite his attrocious barrier manners in standing start races, he STILL finished up winning MUCH more than he lost. This was never more evident than in the second round of heats of the 1977 Spring cup at HP. Still only a ‘young’ 4yo, he broke at the start, lost ground, caught the field and went on to almost embarrass a TOP class field, beating Paleface Adios by 6 metres with Dimante Hanover 15 metres further back! Time and time again he would lose heaps of ground at the start of a race, catch the field and then sprint past them like they were ‘glued’ to the track, something only the absolutely elite horses can do, and always against the very best horses racing at the time.
His record of 12 consecutive wins at HP will forever be the standard with HP now closed. Even the ‘King of HP’, Koala King, who won 40 races there, could only manage a best of 5 consecutive wins! THIS, as much as anything else, gives you an idea as to just how good RVW was.
There was a time, half way through his 4yo season, when he had won 11 straight, that I, and others more experienced than me, began to seriously question whether HE might just be the greatest pacer EVER. He was obviously the best 2yo, and clearly the best 3yo and now, as a young 4yo, was rampaging throught the ranks of open class pacers with the same results! He had won the heats and Final of the Australasian 4yo Championship, heats and Final of the HP Spring Cup and heats and Final of the Australian Pacing Championship! He had met and defeated Pure Steel two out of three times, had defeated the National Harness Horse of the Year, Don’t Retreat the 2 times they had met, had defeated the legend, Paleface Adios, six times out of seven, and had beaten Koala King and Markovina every time they had raced! Paleface Adios and Pure Steel were only able to beat him by less than a neck at his second start as a 4yo! Little wonder he was being seriously considered for the ‘best ever’ title. Ultimately he never quite made that final leap, due to his loss of form as a 5yo, but he WAS being seriously considered for that title by better judges than me. THAT is probably the best reason of all for him to be remembered, NOT for his loss to Pure Steel in THAT Hunter Cup!
As a 3yo he was sensational and I have often wondered just how fast he could go under today’s race conditions. The HP track of today is around 4-5 seconds faster than it was 34 years ago, the track records for then and now also would indicate this. Back then Paleface Adios held the track record at 1.58 4/10 and now it is Iraklis at 1.54 2/10, a bit over 4 seconds faster. If he could get within 3/10’s of a second of the track record then, when only ‘coasting’ (“Vanderkemp takes a hold of Rip” and “he’s not out to make any sort of time today”!) and win by 22 metres, I believe he could have broken 1.54 under TODAY’S conditions if there was a horse who could push him! Just my opinion, of course, but he was a horse who could, seemingly, do anything.
In the early 2000’s my wife and I were heading north for a 10 day holiday and were staying very close to where Michael Vanderkemp lived. I rang him to arrange an interview to get some ‘stable’ background to add depth to the story, which was then only in the planning stages. Despite his being in ill health at the time, Michael was delighted that somebody remembered his horse, wanted to do a story on him, and was quite willing for me to visit and have a chat. Unfortunately by the time I got there his health had worsened and he had been hospitalised, so the interview never happened. Michael Vanderkemp died the following year after a long illness.
The next story, the penultimate one, is on the absolutely sensational pacer of the late 1970’s, San Simeon.
And the horses just keep getting better and better!
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
