O'Brien Keen On Washington Chance

George Washington will head to Monmouth Park for a second bite at the Breeders' Cup Classic with much more in his favour than last year, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien.

The sometimes brilliant colt was trying 10 furlongs and dirt for the first time when sixth in what was to be his valedictory outing at Churchill Downs nearly 12 months ago.

But after failing to perform at stud, he returned to the racecourse with respectable efforts in defeat in the Queen Anne, Eclipse and Prix du Moulin.

'We've been very happy ? obviously he's had three kind of easy races and his last one was the easiest of all,' reported O'Brien, who was running the rule over his squad for the Breeders' Cup meeting a week on Friday and Saturday.

'He's a very fresh horse this year. Last year, come Breeders' Cup time, he'd had a tough season and was probably a little bit washy-looking.

'He ran a good race in it last year when everyone was saying you need a mile and a half horse on that track to win over a mile and a quarter on the dirt, but this year at Monmouth everyone is saying maybe a mile and a furlong horse could win.

'He had a little bump in the straight and lost his balance, otherwise he could have been placed. We hope there is a lot in his favour.'

O'Brien confirmed George Washington was likely to return to stud for another attempt, while he will be joined by a handful of others from Ballydoyle on his trip to New Jersey.

Bound for the Mile is likely favourite Excellent Art.

'He's been unlucky in a few races this season and is very tough at the end of the race,' said O'Brien. 'I don't think (the way he runs) is a worry.

'He just got back a bit further than Jamie Spencer would have wanted at Goodwood and then in the QEII he just got trapped behind horses. The gap came late in the St James's Palace too, but he closed all the way to the line.'

Achill Island, who runs in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on the Friday, was second to City Leader in the Royal Lodge Stakes, with third-placed Scintillo following up in a Group One in Italy.

O'Brien said: 'Achill Island is progressing with every run. It was a good run last time at Ascot and we've been very happy since.

'It's a great race to have for two-year-olds. His form looks OK and hopefully the horse travels over OK.'

All My Loving is the last member of the team, but has a final test to pass first.

'She's running at the Curragh on Sunday (Rathbarry Stud?s Barathea Finale Stakes) and if it all goes well she might go for the Filly & Mare Turf,' explained O'Brien.

'She had a break over the middle of the summer before she ran at Doncaster.

'She came on from that, but the last day (at Longchamp) we thought was a little bit of a non-event and she just didn't wake up.

'She's done a couple of pieces of work since that have gone well and this is the race we ran L'Ancresse in a while ago before she went on to finish second in the Filly & Mare Turf.'

(C) PA Sport