Racing: Fog strands George Washington sand plan

Both Aidan O'Brien and Saeed bin Suroor were hoping to lay the foundations for a landmark edifice yesterday, but each will have to dig a little deeper.

O'Brien had planned to introduce George Washington to the dirt surface at Southwell, an experiment intended to determine the feasibility of a crack at Bernardini in the Breeders' Cup Classic. But the colt remained stranded in Ireland because of fog, and will have to try again next week. In the meantime the Breeders' Cup Mile remains the most likely option.

As for bin Suroor, his duties here included placing a saddle on the most expensive yearling ever to race in this country. Jalil cost Sheikh Mohammed $9.7m (£5.2m). at Keeneland last September, and has his work cut out to make that look good business. Starting 4-6 favourite in a field of 13 maidens, the Storm Cat colt was outpaced before keeping on for sixth behind Sam Lord. In ordinary circumstances, it would have been a perfectly respectable debut and he is a big animal with plenty of improvement in him, albeit no overnight sensation.

"It was disappointing, although Frankie [Dettori] says he has a beautiful action," bin Suroor said. "Perhaps he still needed this. He seems more of a three-year-old and will improve."

The Godolphin stable still maintained its prolific end to the campaign - and a strike-rate of one-in-three - when Bygone Days got up close home in the Group Three Bentinck Stakes.

But the best prospect on the card was Proponent, impressive on his debut at Newbury last month and no less so against three inferiors in the Houghton Stakes.