Improving ground conditions good news for George Washington

RACING: George Washington will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Rock Of Gibraltar and complete the English-Irish 2,000 Guineas double at the Curragh tomorrow.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was one of 11 horses declared for the Boylesports Irish 2,000 Guineas at yesterday's 48-hour final stage and despite some apparent uncertainty in the ante-post betting he remains an intended runner.

George Washington was a 1 to 2 favourite with the big race sponsors yesterday after a continual drift in the betting from early last week when he originally figured as low as 1 to 4.

Better weather over the last number of days has improved the testing ground conditions at the Curragh slightly and O'Brien yesterday gave the clearest signal yet that George Washington will take his chance.

"He is declared, the plan is to run and we're hoping that the ground won't be too bad," he said before adding that Kieren Fallon will again be on board the brilliant colt tomorrow.

"Seamus Heffernan will be on Hurricane Cat, Colm O'Donoghue on Arabian Prince and David McCabe will ride River Tiber," O'Brien added of his four-strong challenge.

Hurricane Cat has come in for sustained support in the betting this week and he appears to be the clear Ballydoyle second string at 8 to 1 with Kevin Prendergast's Decado the nearest market rival to George Washington at 100 to 30.

Cashmans, however, have opened a market on betting without George Washington which sees Decado a clear 6 to 4 favourite with Hurricane Cat on 5 to 2.

The British challenge in tomorrow's opening Classic of the season in Ireland will consist of Araafa, fourth at Newmarket, and Mick Channon's Yasoodd who has already landed the Group Three Leopardstown Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last month.

It's 20 years since Dermot Weld won the Guineas with Flash Of Steel but he will be represented this time by Golden Arrow who was runner-up to George Washington in last year's National Stakes.

The 2,000 Guineas is the sole Irish Classic that John Oxx has yet to win and there was some money yesterday for his outsider, Caribbean, who drops back to a mile after running in the Derrinstown Derby Trial last time. John Murphy, who trains the two-mile champion chaser Newmill, will have a classic runner with the 250 to 1 outsider Crookhaven.

The Galway racecourse authorities yesterday announced that Michael McNamara & Co will build the new €22 million West Stand at the track which will be ready in time for the 2007 summer festival.

Work will begin immediately after this summer's festival and the first step will be the tearing down of the current west stand. The new construction will have four floors and Horse Racing Ireland are putting over €10 million into the cost of the project.

HRI's chief executive Brian Kavanagh yesterday said: "Galway is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of Irish racing, consistently recording record attendances and betting turnover."

Fran Berry could increase his tally for the flat season by almost 50 per cent at Limerick where he could enjoy a bumper evening.

Berry has ridden seven winners already this term but will certainly fancy his chances of at least scoring on the John Oxx-trained Shehira (1m maiden). She looked very unlucky when only just touched off by Hovering on her debut at Naas and should have little difficulty in breaking her duck now. Berry will be on board Talk Of Excitement in the two-year-old fillies maiden and normal improvement from her debut behind Gaudeamus will see her with a big chance. The 11-furlong handicap looks at Berry's mercy on Heart Of Svetlana.

Tralee cancelled

Tomorrow's scheduled meeting at Tralee was cancelled yesterday afternoon after it was decided the track was waterlogged. Another Tralee meeting is scheduled for Sunday and an inspection will take place at 7.30 on Sunday morning.