Ballydoyle Stars On Show Ahead Of Stan James Guineas Festival

Aidan O´Brien this morning paraded his leading contenders for the Stan James Guineas Festival, including last season´s European champion juvenile colt, George Washington, at the annual Ballydoyle Stables media open day.

O´Brien gave an upbeat report on the colt who is on target for the Stan James 2000 Guineas, which has record prize money of #330,000, and in which he could be joined by stablemates Horatio Nelson and Art Museum on the NatWest Rowley Mile on Saturday, May 6.

His trainer today compared Art Museum to Giant´s Causeway,

The County Tipperary trainer revealed: 'Possibly, George Washington, Horatio Nelson and Art Museum could all go for the Stan James 2000 Guineas.

'George Washington has grown up a lot over the winter and I don´t think we´ve ever had a horse that we´ve considered to be a miler that´s showed such speed. He´s a very fast horse, so whether he gets the mile trip is a slight worry.

'He has the arrogance that often goes with brilliance and believes in himself so much that he would look over every horse and person in front of him.'

George Washington ended last season as leading two-year-old after impressive victories in the National Stakes and Phoenix Stakes, both Group One contests run at The Curragh.

The Danehill colt, a half-brother to Grandera, has headed the 2000 Guineas ante-post market throughout the winter, but could face stiff competition on the Natwest Rowley Mile from stablemate and current joint second-favourite, Horatio Nelson, although the latter´s participation is not certain.

O´ Brien reported: 'Horatio Nelson is a possible but not definite Guineas runner. Kieren has always raved about him as a Derby horse and he´s a great model and very well-balanced.

'He could either do Newmarket and then the Derby, or otherwise he would probably go for trials like the Ballysax and Derrinstown and then to Epsom.'

Horatio Nelson, like George Washington, won four of five juvenile starts, including the Group One Prix Jean Luc Lagadere at Longchamp in October, before meeting trouble in running when second to Sir Percy in the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket later that month.

Art Museum, an unbeaten Storm Cat colt, won both his starts last term, including the Listed Blenheim Stakes at The Curragh in September by two lengths from Leitra.

O´Brien said: 'Art Museum is a very possible Guineas horse as well and we´ll know more in the next couple of weeks about what we will be running there. There´s a seven-furlong race at the Curragh at the weekend that Art Museum could go for, but the ground could be too soft for him.

'We´re also likely to work some horses after racing at the Curragh on Sunday if the ground is okay and we could take him for a gallop there otherwise. He reminds me a lot of Giant´s Causeway.'

Keiren Fallon added: 'He´d be one of my favourite horses at the moment. He does everything you ask for. He goes very well and has a real engine.'

O´Brien saddled his first British Classic winner when King Of Kings captured the Stan James 2000 Guineas in 1998. The great Rock Of Gibraltar prevailed from his brilliant stablemate Hawk Wing in the 2002 running of the Classic while Footstepsinthesand gave the trainer his third Stan James 2000 Guineas success last year.

Footstepsinthesand was the first leg of a memorable Stan James Guineas double for O´Brien and jockey Kieren Fallon as Virginia Waters landed the following day´s 1000 Guineas on the Natwest Rowley Mile.

Rumplestiltskin is Ballydoyle´s big hope for Stan James 1000 Guineas glory after ending her 2005 campaign the winner of five races from six starts.

The Danehill filly´s final two outings saw her collect Group One prizes in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh, and the Prix Marcel Boussac over a mile at Longchamp in October when she defeated Quiet Royal by a length.

O´Brien and Fallon are the first trainer and jockey to combine for victory in the season´s first two Classics in the same season since Noel Murless and George Moore, who achieved the feat in 1967 with Royal Palace and Fleet.

This season, the Ballydoyle duo will attempt to win both Newmarket Classics in consecutive seasons, to become the first trainer/jockey combination to achieve the 'double-double' since Robert Robson and Frank Buckle in 1821.

Robson and Buckle landed that season´s 2000 and 1000 Guineas with Reginald and Zeal, having been successful the previous year with Pindarrie and Rowena.

Latest Stan James prices for the Stan James 2000 Guineas George Washington 5/2, Horatio Nelson 7/1, Sir Percy 7/1, Nakheel 11/1, Amadeus Wolf 14/1, Art Museum 16/1, Opera Cape 20/1, City Of Troy 25/1, Pescatorio 25/1, Asset 25/1, Book Of Music 33/1, Golden Arrow 33/1, With Interest 33/1, Blue Mirage 33/1, Priors Hill 33/1, 40/1 BAR

Latest Stan James prices for the Stan James 1000 Guineas Rumplestiltskin 4/1, Nannina 6/1, Flashy Wings 10/1, Silca´s Sister 10/1, Race For The Stars 16/1, Donna Blini 20/1, La Chunga 20/1, Quiet Royal 20/1, Queen´s Best 20/1, Alexander Alliance 20/1, Nasheej 25/1, Alexandrova 25/1, Wake Up Maggie 25/1, Scottish Stage 25/1, Pearls Girl 25/1, Bouboulina 25/1, 28/1 BAR