Let's put the Prado Giant Oak thing in proper perspective. No matter who else rides GO, and Graham is certainly not one of the better riders out there, you know he'll get a better trip. Especially someone who rides at FG and knows the track a bit. He'll keep GO OUTSIDE, clear of trouble, and let him do what he does best: RUN LATE.
Prado and his agent came off as being completely unprofessional/unprepared in the Risen Star. Forget about the actual ride itself but the tactics were bush league. On a track where saving ground is NOT the typical way to go, Prado put GO INSIDE and BEHIND horses almost immediately. GO was clearly uncomfortable going into the 1st turn. And Prado kept him there for essentially the entire race --- finding trouble before the 2nd turn and again when he finally tried to take him outside in the stretch.
What a ****in joke. Did Prado/his agent prepare at all for the ride? Do either have any knowledge of FG? Did they watch any tape? Did they email the Fat Man?
Can't really blame BlockHEAD, as he probably figured he'd hired a competent rider/team and not novices, and, he's a trainer, after all. What does he know?
Prado is really at a point in his career where he needs to seriously consider retiring. He just never seems to make the right decision in races. This is because he's lost his nerve. He's flat out afraid. He can't ride the inside anymore and he lacks aggressiveness. Moreover, his strength seems to have diminished to bug boy/girl level.