Fallon fit for Guineas double bid
The former champion was taken to hospital after hurting his foot in a race at Tipperary on Thursday night, throwing his fitness into doubt ahead of the first Classic of the season at Newmarket.
However, Fallon’s agent Dave Pollington expects him to be in action over the weekend, although he will skip all the supporting races, as he will the following day when he partners Rumplestiltskin in the fillies’ equivalent.
O’Brien, meanwhile, is hoping the once-beaten George Washington will stay the trip on his first try at a mile.
“We will not know if George Washington gets a mile until he runs over it as he is so fast in his work and shows so much speed,” he said.
“You can never be sure when a horse shows as much pace as him whether they will stay and he is a very exuberant worker.
“He is very well made and has developed well and he makes good use of himself.
“In terms of his temperament he is a very intelligent horse and behaves well usually but he does have personality – he would rather tell you what to do rather than have you tell him what to do.
“He has been very good since working at the Curragh and I am looking forward to running him.”
O’Brien also saddles Vodafone Derby favourite Horatio Nelson, who will be partnered by Mick Kinane.
“Horatio Nelson is in good form but probably isn’t as forward as George Washington fitness-wise,” he said.
“He improves with each race so hopefully whatever he does this weekend he can improve on.
“Horses that are good at two often show enough to be good at three as well.
“You would hope he would stay further than a mile but he is a Danehill so you can’t be sure. But on what he showed last year you have to hope he would get another few furlongs.
“As for the Derby we will have to see what happens this weekend. We will have to see if George Washington stays a mile and also see how Horatio gets on before we make plans for that.”
There are no such doubts surrounding the second in the market, Sir Percy. He is already being talked of as a Derby horse but a victory at the highest level in the Dewhurst last season means connections felt compelled to try their hand at HQ first.
The colt has a tendency to get on his toes before his races, but it is not something which concerns his trainer, Marcus Tregoning.
“I’m not worried about the preliminaries,” he said.
“They are not actually having a parade as such tomorrow. They are going to let them go at set intervals so it won’t be too bad.
“He gets on his toes, that’s his way. He was like that before the Dewhurst and it didn’t worry us.
“A lot of the speed is maybe on the far side but it’s not as though there are hundreds of runners and there are not many no-hopers in there.
“Everything’s fine, there’s nothing more to do. He’s in good form so we are hoping for the best. Everybody’s happy after his last piece of work.”
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien’s hopes are high that Rumplestiltskin can give him back-to-back victories in the fillies’ Classic after the success of Virginia Waters 12 months ago.
“She kept on improving last year and did everything we asked of her. She’s been training well at home and we are hoping for a big run,” said the trainer.
As well as the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Prix Marcel Boussac winner, O’Brien also has Race For The Stars among the field of 13.
Connections of Flashy Wings are hopeful of a big run from the filly when she leads the home challenge in the Stan James 1000 Guineas at Newmarket tomorrow.
The Mick Channon-trained daughter of Zafonic is second-favourite at around 5-1 behind Irish raider Rumplestiltskin.
“She’s in top form. Everything’s going to suit. You can’t fault her, the going or anything else. Everything is in good order with her,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Jaber Abdullah.
