McGuinness on weather watch for Go Athletico With unseasonal high temperatures in Ireland this week, Go Athletico could miss Irish Champions Festival for a crack at the Prix de l'Abbaye in France next month. Ado McGuinness' five-year-old gelding has created a good impression since arriving from his native France with a triple-figure rating and won at Listed level in Cork before finishing runner-up in a Group 2 and a Group 3 at the Curragh. McGuinness said: “It’s very doubtful that he’ll run (in the Group 1 Flying Five at the Curragh on Sunday) if the ground stays as it is. If it’s quick ground he won’t run and we’ll wait for the Abbaye (in ParisLongchamp). He’s in the Renaissance (at Curragh on 24th September) as well, but we’ll probably wait for the Abbaye as we’d be guaranteed an ease in the ground. “The Flying Five is going to be a hot race and I don’t want to sicken him before the year is out. He’s been fairly consistent and I’ll wait if I have to wait. Interestingly, McGuinness' juvenile filly Tiger Belle is also in the Abbaye and the Listed winner could be one for the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in November. “There are negotiations going on at the moment about selling her but, if not, the boys are looking at the two-year-old fillies' race on the Friday night at the Breeders' Cup," said McGuinness. “I think she’d be tailor-made for it if she gets an inside draw and she would take catching around a bend. We’re looking for a nice week in California!” Additional reporting by Alan Magee
