Rip fav as Harbinger suffers injury Rip Van Winkle is the new favourite for York's Juddmonte International Stakes following reports Harbinger has suffered an injury. Harbinger had dominated the ante-post market for the race following his 11-length romp in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month. However, with reports indicating the four-year-old's racing career could be over, Paddy Power now have Aidan O'Brien's runner as the 11-8 favourite. They have also removed Harbinger from their Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe market with another O'Brien inmate, Fame And Glory, now heading the betting there. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute and owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing have yet to comment but Olivier Peslier, who rode the colt at Ascot, has expressed his dismay. "It's very sad news, for the horse and for everybody. He was the hot favourite for the Arc, which everybody was waiting for," he told the Guardian. "He's a fantastic horse and, when I received the news, I was very sad because when you have a champion like that, it's a big pity to finish the career like this." Peslier, who has won a stream of top races aboard some of the world's best horses, believes Harbinger had superstar potential. He added: "He looked like the best. I have ridden Goldikova, Peintre Celebre, but he was a wonderful horse and ranks very high. "He's unlucky and, for the future, I don't know what will happen. But his safety is more important." Following the news, Sky Bet have also reformed their market for the International Stakes. Harbinger was the 10-11 favorite with Sky Bet for the York feature and he has been replaced by Aidan O'Brien's Sussex Stakes runner-up Rip Van Winkle as 5-4 favourite. Next best is 9-4 French raider Byword, who won the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot from the unlucky-in-running Twice Over. The latter is 4-1 third best to reverse Ascot form in the potential rematch after his Eclipse win last time for Henry Cecil. Both Byword and Twice Over run in the Khalid Abdullah livery and give race sponsors Juddmonte a strong hand with two of the first three in the betting. Ballydoyle could also send over 6-1 chance Cape Blanco, the Irish Derby winner. Looking further ahead, Sky Bet now make Fame And Glory their new market leader at 9/4 for the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October.
