Gorgeous George - An Appreciation

[my miss storm cat]

GORGEOUS GEORGE - A TRUE DIAMOND


By Nick Grant and Thomas Deane, PA Sport


With the unceremonious passing of George Washington at Monmouth Park, racing has undoubtedly lost one of its greatest equine entertainers.

For mighty few horses are blessed with the ability he possessed, and far fewer garner such interest and crowd-pulling power as the mercurial son of Danehill.

Racegoers flocked to the track each time he set foot on a racecourse, hoping to witness 'Gorgeous George' in full flight, as he was when winning the 2000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last year.

Yet all too soon for the Flat-racing cognoscenti, the bluebloods that light up our summers are typically whisked off to stud at the end of their three-year-old careers.

And so it was with George Washington.

But after apparently being lost to the racing public forever, the colt that tested Aidan O'Brien to the maximum was back for more after failing to deliver in his first attempt as a stallion.

This presented the masterful O'Brien with yet another examination, which he openly admitted at a stable open day earlier in the year.

Speaking then, O'Brien said: "His mind gets unravelled and put back together again.

"I've always thought he was mentally immature, but as (last) year went on he got better.

"I haven't had one come back to me from stud before so it will be interesting to see how he takes to it again now."

George Washington's dramatic return in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot seemed to indicate he had taken to it extremely well.

A closing fourth behind Godolphin's superstar Ramonti suggested the fires were still burning before attention was turned to a clash with Derby hero Authorized in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

In what proved a slight anti-climax, George Washington finished a close third with Authorized just ahead as Notnowcato ruined the party.

O'Brien's star was never again seen in action in Britain, as he took a fast-finishing third in the Prix du Moulin before the bandwagon rolled to America for a second cut at the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2006 fairytale ended in defeat when he was beaten into sixth, only seven lengths adrift of arguably the best horse in the world in Invasor, on his first attempt on dirt and over 10 furlongs.

Yet the 2007 trip ended in disaster, as a struggling George Washington was pulled up by Mick Kinane as they rounded the final turn.

He had sustained an open fracture of the cannon-bone in the right-front fetlock joint and also fractured both sesamoid bones.

A sombre Kinane praised the courage shown by his mount, saying: "He did well to stay up. He was brave. He didn't go down. He stayed up on it. He saved me."

So as the curtain came down on George's enthralling career, courage was another virtue added to the many already printed in previous articles.

After slamming his rivals in the 2000 Guineas last season, O'Brien's charge famously refused to enter the winner's enclosure, after which the Ballydoyle maestro said: "He saw the other horses going in the other direction and he didn't want to follow.

"Physically he is mature, but mentally he is still like a child. He is getting better, but after he had just done so much to please us I didn't want to get into an argument with him.

"He's a horse who always thought he was so superior to his companions, from the time he was born. He developed this attitude that he is absolutely different class to every other animal around. It's all part of his make-up. He can intimidate other horses just by looking them in the eye."

Sadly, the horse O'Brien proclaimed "unbelievably special" after winning the QEII, and only last week labelled as "the one who can do anything", would not return to unsaddle at all at Monmouth Park.

And while the racing world has been robbed of an undoubted darling of the turf, the incredible story of George Washington will never be forgotten.


* * *
What they said

"This horse is class.."

by Racing Post staff


"Our people liked him a lot and the mare has already produced one very good one." John Magnier.
After buying the then unnamed George Washington for 1.15m guineas at the 2004 Tattersalls October Sales


"This horse is class and is the best two-year-old around. He has the speed for six furlongs, yet we think he wants a mile already."
Kieren Fallon, after winning the Railway Stakes in June 2005

"I've never got a feel like that before, ever.''
Kieren Fallon, after winning the Phoenix Stakes by eight lengths


"George Washington has always believed he was so much better than everything around because he was so superior and he's been like that since the time he was born. He has developed a real personality about it. He has this attitude that he is absolutely different class to every other horse around. He doesn't believe any horse or any human being should tell him what to do. We never had a colt that had such a domineering instinct. Other horses get out of his way."
Aidan O'Brien, after winning the 2,000 Guineas


"We got beaten but no doubt there will be revenge when we get better ground."
Kieren Fallon, after his shock defeat by Araafa in the Irish 2,000 Guineas


"I couldn't be happier and Mick said that he was very ring-rusty. They went a level gallop and didn't follow the pacemaker - it turned into only a sprint. “
Aidan O'Brien, after George finished only third on his return from injury

"Everything he did, he did it like a gentleman today. I've ridden good ones, but none better."
Mick Kinane, after winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes


"It's human nature to be critical and this horse has been open to a lot of stick. But it is because he is so brilliant all those traitscome with it."
Aidan O'Brien, after the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes


"Unluckily, today he's bumped into an extra-special horse who returned to his best." Jeremy Noseda, trainer of QEII runner-up, Araafa.

"I know if he was in the wild, he would be hard as concrete. You deal with this horse and if you reprimand him he doesn't lie down. He is a determined, hard fighter, I would say. If he was a human being I would say he was anything but a softie. In his description I would be calling him 'hard'. That's the way he is." Aidan O'Brien, before the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic


"In the very early stages of George Washington's stud career, his fertility has been questioned. Coolmore today brought in veterinary expert Dr Dixon Varner from the USA to consult on the matter and are awaiting his prognosis. George Washington has been suspended from covering and Holy Roman Emperor, another dual Group 1-winning two-year-old by Danehill and Ballydoyle's leading 2,000 Guineas prospect, has been retired to take his place."
Statement from Coolmore Stud with the shock news that he would return to training in March this year


"Since he came back here from Coolmore he's been like a horse with five legs and we have to get him thinking that he can't cover everything he sees." Aidan O'Brien, later that month.


"He's come back a long way and we were delighted with that." Aidan O'Brien, after his return to action in the Queen Anne Stakes

"George is the exciting one. When you know George you can believe anything can happen." Aidan O'Brien, before the 20007 Breeders' Cup Classic