Fallon, who was riding injured in his only race on the card after a fall at Tipperary on Thursday had left his participation in the race in serious doubt, was himself blown away by the turn of foot of the Ballydoyle favourite. "I wanted to ride a race on him as when he gets to the front he idles and thinks he has done enough.

But everything around me was falling away and I had to go when I did. That is always a danger as you are there to be shot at, but he did quicken up and has an unbelievable turn of foot. I have never ridden anything like this before.

It is great to be associated with such a good horse."

George Washington hit the front inside the final two furlongs and flew home for a two-and-a-half-length victory over Sir Percy, with Olympian Odyssey another length and a half back in third.

Fallon settled him out the back in the early stages of the mile contest and waited until past halfway before making a move, but when he met the rising ground he readily went clear when seeing daylight.

Sir Percy boxed on well under Martin Dwyer but could not get on terms with the impressive winner, while Olympian Odyssey ran a fine race for Barry Hills having made most of the early running.

The winner had to be unsaddled in the pre-parade ring after the race though as he refused to go into the winner's enclosure, a typical quirk of the tempestuous star.

O'Brien, who had accompanied the horse to the start, said: "It was just when he came back in and the crowd were all there and he just wanted to go back down again. We just weren't able to convince him to go in.

"He's a horse who has always thought he was so superior to his companions from the time he was born that he developed this attitude that he is absolutely different class to every other animal around. It's all part of his make up. I don't have to say much about his ability.

He has a huge belief in himself."

"He has got his own personality alright, " joked Fallon, "and thank goodness Aidan is around because he is the only one the horse respects."

Earlier on the card, Dandy Man wore down his rivals close to home to land the Stan James Palace House Stakes. Con Collins' Irish raider showed a fearsome turn of foot to fly down the centre of the course in the final furlong and spring a 251 shock. Pivotal Flame, at 331, was one-and-a-quarter lengths away in second.