George remains Washington-bound

Aidan O’Brien’s brilliant 2000 Guineas winner George Washington is on course to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in two weeks’ time.

The Danehill colt has suffered two reverses since his Newmarket success, floundering in soft ground behind Araafa in the Irish Guineas, after which he was found to have injured hip muscles, before a ring-rusty third in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood.

However, O’Brien has insisted that George Washington will be all the better for his effort behind Caradak last month.

“He’s in good shape and the plan is still to take him to the QEII,” he said.

“He was a little bit stiff after Goodwood, but he was always going to be as he hadn’t been stretched until that race.

“He’s not back in top work but he is getting there.”