Bullish O'Brien Up For The Cup

Aidan O'Brien was in bullish mood as he assessed his chances of Breeders' Cup success for both Dylan Thomas and George Washington at Monmouth Park tomorrow.

Arc winner Dylan Thomas will go off favourite in Saturday's 3million Turf over a mile and a half while George Washington, another four-year-old son of Danehill, returns to the dirt for the 5million Classic over a mile and a quarter, a year since finishing sixth in the race at Churchill Downs.

History is against Dylan Thomas with no Arc winner going on to find Breeders' Cup success less than a month after triumphing at Longchamp, but O'Brien saw no reason why that record should stand any longer.

'It's something you have to think about but he is a very unusual horse,' O'Brien said.

'He's an amazing horse really. Every race he's bounced out of better than when he went into it and he seems to be in great form.

'He's one of those really special Danehills, he just keeps getting stronger and stronger physically and mentally. He's been doing that since he was two, come forward all the time.

'We've never had a horse like this fellow. He's run in Group Ones every month this (season) and he's been beaten in three and in my own mind I could have seen reasons why he could have won those three, so that's a very special horse.

'We don't know what's going to happen until he runs but I think we're very happy with where we are now at this stage.'

O'Brien was just as confident about ?Gorgeous George' in the Classic, despite the mercurial colt going into the gate alongside American dirt specialists such as ante-post favourite Lawyer Ron, Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness victor Curlin.

He said: 'George is a great horse for us now because we're not under any pressure with him.

'He went to stud and everyone knows he wasn't a success but he'll be tried again and we're not under any pressure. We can explore and we were delighted with his run in the Classic last year.

'Mick (Kinane) was very happy that if he hadn't have been knocked off balance in the straight he might have been placed and that would have been a massive run.

'We feel that last year he was a little bit washed out as three-year-old. We had danced a lot of beats with him and his coat had gone this time last year. So he was looking a little bit washed out and he was entitled to be.

'This year he's had a very easy time and he might be better in himself. He's tighter in his coat and he seems better, but time will tell.'

(C) PA Sport