DICK TURPIN was the notorious horse thief, but it was Rip Van Winkle who robbed Prince Khalid Abdullah of Juddmonte International Stakes victory at the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York Racecourse.

The owner of Juddmonte Farms has supported York’s richest race for 21 years but has never won the track’s flagship contest.

It seemed, deep into the final furlong, that it was finally his day as his two horses, Byword and Twice Over, fought side by side for apparent victory in the mile-and-a-quarter race.

Neither horse, however, had counted for Rip Van Winkle (7-4 favourite), whose searing late charge snatched the spoils close to the line.

Dick Turpin, the equine namesake of the celebrated highwayman executed on Knavesmire in 1739, could only finish fifth.

But he had clearly passed on the spirit to Rip Van Winkle and jockey Johnny Murtagh to ensure that trainer Aidan O’Brien took his third International win – after Giant’s Causeway in 2000 and Duke of Marmalade in a rearranged race at Newmarket two years ago.

O’Brien said: “It was lovely for him. They didn’t go very fast and we were just looking to see him relax today, that was the important thing.

“He seems in a real good place now and he’s really on an upward curve. Johnny gave him a really good ride. He’s got a lot of speed this horse so we don’t need to try him over further.

“You have to say Johnny was marvellous. He just let him take his time to come into the race and let things happen.”

Murtagh added: “At the last 100 yards I thought I was going to get there.

“The race was a bit messy and a bit stop-start.

“As soon as I got him out and on an even keel, he was really eating up the ground.

“I am glad to have got there in front. I think he is a great horse. He is special. When you ride him at half speed at home he takes your breath away. He cruises over the ground.

“Coming here, the team was confident.

“There was a big crowd and big expectation. It is lovely to have a big winner here at York.”

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Abdullah and a member of York Race Committee, said of Byword and Twice Over: “They have both run good races.

“There are no decisions on where they are going to run next. We’ll have a bit of a rethink but they will probably have relatively separate programmes from now on.”