Murtagh fires Rip warning

Johnny Murtagh has warned Rip Van Winkle's Irish Champion Stakes rivals that he feels his mount could now be an even better horse than he was when scoring at York's Ebor Festival last month.

The Galileo colt opened his account for the campaign by showing a blistering turn of foot to land the Juddmonte International on the Knavesmire, getting up

in the closing stages to deny Twice Over by half a length.

The pair do battle again in Saturday's Tattersalls Millions-sponsored Group One and while Murtagh respects Henry Cecil's raider, he is confident Rip Van Winkle will emerge victorious once again at Leopardstown.

"It's another good race and Twice Over is a very good horse," said Murtagh.

"He has to travel over this time though, we're on our home turf and hopefully there is a bit of improvement in 'Rip'.

"Everyone knows how much we thought of him last year as a three-year-year-old and he ran some good races and won two Group Ones.

"He's come back to win another big race in the International at York, which is a huge race on the Knavesmire.

"It's another big assignment this weekend and another Group One. He probably has to improve from York, but we think he has and he should be very tough to beat.

"He won round Leopardstown as a two-year-old and he loved it, so you have to be confident."

Cecil confident

Cecil is delighted with Twice Over's current condition but admits he would like to see some rain in the Dublin area before Saturday's showdown.

"Twice Over seems so well that I feel he should take his chance in the Irish Champion Stakes," the Warren Place handler told his website www.henrycecil.com.

"Originally I felt that he would just have one more race this season in the English Champion Stakes, which he won last year, but I now feel he should run in both.

"It obviously will be a tough race and we would like a little rain, which would be an advantage to him. Still, we are hopeful of his chance."

Doncaster Rover goes for Group One glory of the back of a victory at Newmarket last Saturday, his first in 12 months.

"He's in great shape and he's come out of his race very, very well," said trainer David Brown.

"Obviously it's a tough contest, but if you're not in it, you can't win it. He deserves his place in the line-up.

"He was wrong when he ran at Chester at the beginning of last month. We got him right and this is the best he's ever come out of a race, so I'm very hopeful he's going to run a big race."