A 7.30 inspection at Newbury this morning will decide if Eagle Mountain gets the chance to become Aidan O'Brien's fifth winner of the Racing Post Trophy.
Britain's final Group One of 2006 is in doubt after a deluge on Thursday night resulted in yesterday's Newbury card being abandoned and an early afternoon inspection to see if today could go ahead.
Enough encouragement was found to organise another look this morning and a Newbury spokesman said: "It has improved but it is not raceable yet. Most of the water has cleared off and the forecast is favourable but there are soft patches and we have to keep an eye on them."
If racing gets the green light, Eagle Mountain should be better able than most to cope with the conditions having won impressively in the Beresford Stakes on testing ground at the Curragh. Michael Kinane is scheduled to ride Eagle Mountain this time and he won the race for O'Brien on Saratoga Springs in 1997. The Ballydoyle trainer also scored in the mile event with Aristotle (1999), High Chaparral (2001) and Brian Boru (2002.)
O'Brien will also be represented in the Racing Post by Malacarra, Great Sphinx and Red Rock Canyon while he plans to run Mountain in the Group Three St Simon Stakes. Fracas from David Wachman's yard is also an intended starter in that race.
As expected, George Washington has been confirmed on course for the Breeders' Cup Classic on dirt next month and Aidan O'Brien's report came along with news that the Guineas winner will be retired to Coolmore Stud after he runs at Churchill Downs.
He will be accompanied in his new career by both of O'Brien's candidates for the Breeders' Cup Mile, Aussie Rules and Ad Valorem, while the Michael Tabor-owned Hurricane Run will also go to Coolmore after running in the Turf.
"They are four seriously well -bred horses, by the right sires, from top class families," a Coolmore spokesman said.
Beef Or Salmon is the big name at Fairyhouse this afternoon but is hardly in his element over two miles in a hurdle race and trainer Michael Hourigan is hoping for an encouraging effort ahead of a possible tilt at the James Nicholson Chase in Down Royal next month. You Sir, another smart front-runner from the James Bowe yard, looks a more likely winning option while Big Zeb can secure a bumper win at the third time of asking.
Last season's Pierse Hurdle winner, Studmaster, and the Grade Two winner Glenfinn Captain bring a touch of class to the two-mile Beginners Chase but Khetaam could be the one to surprise the pair over the trip.
