George Washington is emerging as the more likely of Aidan O'Brien's major entries to run in Sunday's big race at the Curragh, but plans are less clear for Ballydoyle's Eclipse-winning star Oratorio who will not be ready in time to run at York.
The Juddmonte International in 12 days' time had been mooted as a likely return date for Oratorio who ended the unbeaten run of the Derby winner Motivator at Sandown last month.
However, that plan has now had to be shelved and it is unclear when the Danehill colt, also a Group One winner last year in the Prix Jean Luc Lagadere, will next appear.
"It doesn't seem to be anything serious, just a niggly problem that has been there since Sandown," said O'Brien whose original plan to run Oratorio in the Sussex Stakes last week was not possible. "He is still on the sidelines and we will try and get him back, but I don't know what race that might be in."
Oratorio was a third Eclipse winner for O'Brien and provided a highlight for the Ballydoyle team after disappointing in the Epsom Derby. Before that Oratorio was runner-up to Dubawi in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The immediate Group One priority, however, will be Sunday's Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes which looks like being the next start for George Washington who is currently the 14 to 1 market leader with Ladbrokes for next year's 2,000 Guineas.
Both George Washington and Amadeus Mozart were yesterday described by O'Brien as "very possible" runners in Europe's first Group One pot of 2005. The trainer ruled out the maiden Nero and described the July Stakes winner Ivan Denisovich as "a possible" to try and add to his Newmarket success.
Jim Bolger has confirmed that Namaya, less than a length behind George Washington over the same course and distance in the Railway Stakes in June, will take on the O'Brien colt again while Red Clubs from the Barry Hills yard will lead the cross-channel challenge.
There will be plenty of British interest in the Group Three Phoenix Sprint where Jeremy Noseda's Balmont, Kind from the Roger Charlton yard and the former Golden Jubilee winner Fayr Jag have all been confirmed runners. John Dunlop's Newbury winner Kodiac has also been supplemented into the race at a cost of 7,500.
Democratic Deficit, third in the Irish Guineas earlier in the season, is set to help the home defence.
Portsmouth and Solskjaer are the likely Ballydoyle horses in the Group Two Royal Whip with Mullins Bay instead travelling to Haydock on Saturday for the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes and Powerscourt waiting for a raid on the Arlington Million in Chicago.
O'Brien is also set to run both the beaten Albany Stakes favourite Rumplestiltskin and Beauty Bright in the Group Two Debutante Stakes with the newcomer Race For The Stars starting instead in the maiden on the same card.
The feature at Tipperary this evening is the seven-furlong conditions race for juveniles where the well-bred Hitchcock represents Ballydoyle against the promising David Wachman-trained Heatseeker who impressively won his debut at Naas. That means the Giant's Causeway colt has to concede 5lb, but there was a lot to like about the way Heatseeker did the job against Free Roses and Wayne Lordan's mount can come out on top.
Catherine Gannon's mount in the sprint handicap, Lone Plainsman, is 2lb out of the weights proper but, unlike some of these, the four-year-old's current form looks on the up, especially after a second to Nathan Jones at Cork on Sunday.
Norbonne Bandit and Charlottine should go well in the maiden hurdle but the Ger Lyons runner is the better horse on the flat and looks a likely solution.
Tony McCoy travels to Sligo for a number of rides that include the former top bumper horse Martinstown in the maiden hurdle. But it could pay to side instead with Cupid's Bow, a decent flat handicapper who should improve significantly on a sole hurdles start to date at Fairyhouse in April. McCoy, Roche and owner JP McManus could still hit the mark Maith An Cailín.
