3 minute read
George Scott has revealed that his highly exciting three-year-old Bay City Roller could be aimed at the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp in May, with the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket almost certainly ruled out.
The talented son of 2015 Prix du Jockey Club hero New Bay made a winning debut at Sandown in the summer before following up under a penalty at Chelmsford, setting up a crack at the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
Under an uncomplicated Callum Shepherd ride, Bay City Roller stayed on strongly to fend off the challengers by half a length, leaving connections and George Scott dreaming off a Classic three-year-old campaign for their talented colt.
"Obviously, we were keen to put him away after the Champagne Stakes as we felt he'd done enough," said Scott. "With that pedigree and as a physical we thought there would be plenty of improvement in him, so the plan was always to finish him after the Champagne Stakes.
"He's done really well physically over the winter and looks particularly good if I'm honest. He's really matured now and looks like a man of a horse. He looks every bit as good as you'd hope for when you put a horse away for the winter and then bring them out. He just looks fantastic.
"He won't run in the English Guineas. I think the French Guineas will suit him so much better. He's been crying out for some cut in the ground, he breaks his knee quite hard and is from a family that seems to like soft ground. His work at home has been much superior on softer ground.
"I wasn't really able to this last year, but I'm adamant we're going to try to keep him to ground that is good or softer this season. I also think the flat track at Longchamp will suit him much better than Newmarket. He's got plenty of pace and that turning flat track might just suit him better.
"The mile will be absolutely fine for him and on paper, he's probably bred to go even further than the mile. I wouldn't be surprised if he went a mile and a quarter in time, but he showed plenty of speed in the Champagne and I'd be happy starting at a mile."
George Scott also provided an update on the recovery of his stable flagbearer Isle Of Jura, who carries the same colours of owners Victorious Racing as Bay City Roller.
The son of New Approach took his form to a new level in Britain last season, winning the Listed Festival Stakes at Goodwood in May before defying odds of 16/1 to give Scott and Shepherd both a first Royal Ascot success in the Hardwicke Stakes.
A setback forced Isle Of Jura to miss an intended run in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which was ultimately won by the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Goliath, who finished nearly four lengths behind George Scott's star at Royal Ascot.
A return to Ascot for both the Hardwicke and King George could be on the cards for Isle Of Jura, as Scott continues to nurse his unexposed five-year-old back to full health.
"He's doing amazing," said the Newmarket handler. "I think it's pretty well documented that he just touched a leg there. It was serious but nothing so significant that we thought we wouldn't be able to get him back.
"We had to give him the time off and he's now back in light training.
"We'd love to be back at the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, but I'd love to have a prep-run and he's going to have to just tell me when he's ready and if we're going to get there or not.
"It has to be (the main objective). He's a course and distance winner, they've added more money to it, and he beat the King George winner at Royal Ascot. So that would be very much our main target."
