George Washington ruled out of Leopardstown race

Aidan O’Brien has ruled George Washington out of a return to action at Leopardstown this weekend, but a trip to Goodwood the following week remains a possibility.

The Ballydoyle handler had been considering the Desmond Stakes or the Celebration Mile as a starting point for his Stan James 2000 Guineas hero, who has been sidelined since pulling a hip muscle when finishing second to Araafa in the Irish equivalent over two months ago.