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Watching the race again – he did jink about a bit last furlong or two which I’d put down to teperament/ground but may have been feeling the injury.
No doubt the conspiracy theorists will have a field day.
I still think it was very strange that they ran him… I know there reasons given but the seasons not exactly short of 1m targets
And if they were looking at the autumn, then why flog him on heavy ground now so soon after the Uk guineas?
Would you fancy him round tight bends though (ala Breeders cup?)
Just my visual impression so far, but not sure that this would suit…
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Clivex,
Who said I disagreed! ;). You could be right, sounds a bit like Footstepsinthesand all over again. However, I really doubt that they would retire him on the basis of getting turned over in the Irish Guineas. If I were running Coolmore, I would not retire him on that basis. They have a number of stallions who have a better or equal  race record in the 1m – 1m2f division, i.e. Giants Causeway, ROG, FootSteps and Oratario.
So, as TDK does state, running him in the top sprint races and a go at the Breeders Cup at the end of the season would be more beneficial to Coolmore IMO.
JohnJ.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he went to the St James Palace Stakes on the back of "an interrupted preperation". It’s a ready made excuse if he loses.
The commercial aspects of George Washington’s stud career may well take prescidence over his future racing career.
As yet, he has only taken on 3 year olds over a mile, and after the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, he will have to take on the older horses if he sticks to a mile (indeed he might miss this engagement due to his lameness).  Even if he drops down in distance to 6F (ie The July Cup as many have suggested on a variety of forums), he will still have to take on older horses.
Although many have lauded this horse after his visually impressive 2000 Guineas performance, his defeat in the Irish version raises questions over his apparent ‘greatness’.  Whilst this performance has been dismissed by various sources as being a result of many factors (poor ride, slow pace, desperate ground, possible injury during the race), it MAY just be that GW ISNT quite the horse he seemed after his ‘Guineas romp’.
The fact is that it is highly likely that GW will have to race against older horses from now on (assuming he doesn’t make his Ascot engagement), which of course will be the acid test of his apparent ‘greatness’.  It may be that those shrewd men that own him decide to retire the horse to stud on the back of an excellent 2yo career, an apparent romp in the 2000 Guineas as a 3yo, whilst still being able to explain a narrow defeat in the Irish Guineas.
Further racing for GW against older horses MAY well demonstrate his greatness, but further defeats may damage his pretty exemplary record up to now.  If you owned him, would you not be tempted to retire him to stud and protect his breeding career on the back of a near perfect 2 and 3yo career?
Or would you take the risk and keep him going against older horses which, over a mile at least, would provide him with a very stern test in the future?
it MAY just be that GW ISNT quite the horse he seemed after his ‘Guineas romp’.
Except he thumped the Irish 2000 Guineas winner last time and struggled to beat the likes of Decado which would not see which way he went on good fast ground.
It is blatently obvious the horse ran miles (11lbs accounding to the RP) below his Guineas form. The form not only tells you that, but that fact he was off the bit so early just confirms it.
Quote: from Aidan on 12:56 pm on May 31, 2006[br]
it MAY just be that GW ISNT quite the horse he seemed after his ‘Guineas romp’.
Except he thumped the Irish 2000 Guineas winner last time and struggled to beat the likes of Decado which would not see which way he went on good fast ground.
It is blatently obvious the horse ran miles (11lbs accounding to the RP) below his Guineas form. The form not only tells you that, but that fact he was off the bit so early just confirms it.
Like I said Aidan, GW may be the real deal, but he has yet to prove that against older horses on the track.
If he does, then good for him.
BTW I don’t buy into all the excuses about not going on soft ground etc, as CLASS horses go on ANY ground.
Probably one of the worst, over used lines ever in racing…Obviously the horse goes on the ground, just absolutely no where near as effective. So George Washington is not a "class horse"?
There are a fair number of great horses who never ran on extreme going (and apparently it was extreme on Sat). Usually because connections didnt want to of course…
im just still slightly suprised that they did run him. AOB knows his horses of course, but negative knackering performances can leave a mark surely?<br>
Quote: from Aidan on 3:09 pm on May 31, 2006[br]Probably one of the worst, over used lines ever in racing…Obviously the horse goes on the ground, just absolutely no where near as effective. So George Washington is not a "class horse"?<br>
Aidan,
I replied on a thread after GW’s 2000 Guineas win that although he produced a visually impressive performance, he could not be called a great horse as he hadn’t won an all aged group one at that current time.
He has still yet to do so, and it will be interesting to see what will acheive in such races. I am not denying that the horse has ‘class’, I am just saying that all he’s done at the moment is beat horses of his own age.
BTW two of the top older milers (Soviet Song and Proclamation) have both attained similar figures on both fast and soft ground over a mile.  I am very much looking forward  to all three horses getting it on over a mile later in the season (possibly in the Sussex Stakes).
(Edited by Soviet Song at 5:08 pm on May 31, 2006)<br>
(Edited by Soviet Song at 5:12 pm on May 31, 2006)
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