Curragh report: George Washington continued his progress to next year's Classics with a convincing triumph in yesterday's Laing O'Rourke National Stakes at the Curragh.
For a colt with his colossal reputation and skin-tight 2 to 11 SP, George Washington's two-length defeat of Golden Arrow and Heatseeker was hardly earth-shattering news. But Ladbrokes for one saw enough to cut the Aidan O'Brien trained star a further point to 3 to 1 favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas and Kieren Fallon, who scored a four-timer on the day, was already looking ahead to a harder future.
"There was nothing there to test him. He needs better horses to up his game," said Fallon.
Whether that will happen this year is open to debate as O'Brien outlined a series of possible options for his embryonic champion which include the Dewhurst Stakes, the Breeders' Cup or shutting up shop for the season. Either way O'Brien's admiration for the horse is undimmed.
The trainer's first ever Group One success came in the 1996 National Stakes and George Washington was his sixth winner of the race overall among a staggering total of top-flight wins worldwide. Before the race the normally cautious trainer was using words like "brilliant, exciting, special" about George Washington and he was in no mood to change tune afterwards.
"He's been off a long time and it was his first time at seven furlongs, but he still made up 12 lengths in a very short time," O'Brien said. "Amigoni is a legitimate horse and he made sure it wasn't a Mickey Mouse pace so we have to be happy."
The only real moment of concern came just after the start when the favourite stumbled. But Fallon was impressed with the way George Washington recovered off the scorching pace set by his stable companion Amigoni.
"He actually made up the ground too quickly and I got there too soon. We were also out in the middle of the track with no rail and he idled. But he quickened instantly," he said.
The same could almost be said of Art Museum who followed up his course debut with a two-length defeat of Leitra in the Blenheim Stakes. Both races also fell to Ad Valorem last year before he proceeded to win the Middle Park Stakes. The pattern will be continued with Newmarket's Group One being Art Museum's next target.
The odds-on Arabian Prince kicked off Fallon's winning streak in the opening maiden but it was Michael Stoute who provided Red Bloom to win the Group Two Blandford Stakes. Red Bloom was never seriously threatened by the runner-up Pictavia with the home favourite, Chelsea Rose, only fourth. Kings Point was another cross-channel winner in the Listed Solonaway Stakes, making all to beat Solskjaer and provide his jockey Paul Hanagan with a first ever winner in Ireland.
