George Washington is set to battle it out for the title of world's top racehorse when he takes on the cream of America's dirt specialists in Saturday week's Breeders' Cup Classic in Kentucky.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained superstar is already officially one of the four best in the world according to the handicappers federation ratings which put him on a mark of 127 alongside the Arc winner Rail Link.
The French horse misses the Breeders' Cup but the other two top rated, Bernardini and Lava Man, will await George Washington at Churchill Downs in an end of season clash to savour.
It will be a first race on dirt for George Washington but the Aidan O'Brien team will draw encouragement from six years ago when Giants Causeway only just failed to overhaul Tiznow in the Classic.
"He has already proved himself over a mile on turf and if running on the dirt comes off the way we hope then it will open up a whole new world for him as a sire," said O'Brien.
The champion trainer also hopes to run Scorpion (Turf) and possibly a trio comprising Aussie Rules, Ad Valorem and Ivan Denisovich in the Mile.
"There is still a chance Ivan Denisovich might join the other two in the Mile and then stay on in the US to run in the Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park on November 26th," said O'Brien, who has had three Breeders' Cup victories in his career to date.
Yesterday the Cork firm Cashmans rated his chances of adding another one to that total at just 6 to 4 and significantly they are going shortest of all about George Washington coming out on top.
The Guineas and QEII hero is as high as 10 to 1 with Ladbrokes but he is only 9 to 2 with Cashmans whose spokesman, Joseph Burke, said: "I watched him from the pre-parade ring, to the parade ring, and through the tunnel at Ascot and he was the best behaved horse in the race. He was completely different from Newmarket. We think he is going to have a big chance."
The jumping season continues to warm up at home although Tony Martin revealed yesterday his Cheltenham winner Dun Doire won't be seen in action for some weeks yet.
Dun Doire was a prolific winner last season and climbed the handicap with a series of victories that included the Thyestes and the William Hill Trophy at the festival.
He hasn't been seen since finishing seventh in the Irish Grand National but trainer Tony Martin is preparing his comeback.
"He has not been back in long and we will have to see how he progresses. He is a few weeks off a run and we haven't done that much with him," Martin said. "He has done very well through the summer and we are very happy with him. We will start in a handicap and he will be given a National entry later."
The highly rated In Compliance, rated as low as 16 to 1 in some lists for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is an entry in Saturday's Paddy Power Poplar Square Chase at Naas, where his possible opposition could include Wild Passion.
A total of 10 entries for Sunday's Grade Three novice chase at Galway includes the Jimmy Mangan-trained Conna Castle who is a 12 to 1 shot with one firm for the Arkle next March.
There may also be Irish interest at Wetherby on Saturday as Michael Hourigan is considering the Charlie Hall Chase for last season's smart novice Church Island.
"Things didn't really go his way after Christmas but he is in top form now and I'm favouring a trip for the Charlie Hall," said Hourigan.
• Rock Of Gibraltar is to stand the 2007 season in Japan. He won seven Group One races breaking Mill Reef's record of six. As a two-year-old in 2001, he won the Group One Grand Criterium and the Dewhurst, and the 2,000 Guineas from Hawk Wing in 2002. Further victories followed for the son of Danehill, in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin, before he ended his career with a second to Domedriver in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
