George Scott believes Caballo De Mar is back on top form ahead of the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup at York on Friday.
The dual Group 1 winner disappointed in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot but Scott believes Caballo De Mar is showing all the right signs ahead of the two mile Group 2 contest for which he is the 5/2 favourite with Paddy Power and Sky Bet.
Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Scott said: "I maybe just didn't appreciate how bad that draw [11 of 11] was even over a race of that distance.
"I was very keen for Oisin [Murphy] to get into the position where Caballo likes to race which is on the hip of the leader and there was no let-up; he had to use the whole of the home straight to undertake my instructions and by the time he went past the post the first time, I said to Billy [Jackson-Stops] 'it's over, it's done'.
"He took a bit of time to get over it but I feel like he's back to his best right now and I'm very, very pleased with him. I'm sorry to see Trawlerman out - what an amazing horse he's been - but it's blown the race wide open."
Scott is putting the final touches to his team for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival and ran through some of the yard's other horses that are on course to line up at York this week, adding: "Westacre is a very fast horse. I don't know what he was up to at Goodwood, he stood in the gate and nearly didn't jump out so he's been back at school with the Withefords. He'll go, Prydwen will go.
"Later in the week, we've got the likes of Mrair in the Gimcrack. He's taken a little bit of time since Ascot to strengthen up a bit; I've needed every day to get him to the Gimcrack and, I hate to say it because it's such an important race, I would expect him to come on a tick for it. That being said he's a high quality horse and that race has cut up a little bit too.
"We might run Ridari who is a new recruit to the yard in the Strensall. He was a high class horse in France last season and we're really looking forward to getting his season started as well."
Ridari is not the only exciting new recruit to the yard and Scott is excited about what the future holds for Wimbledon Hawkeye following his success in a Group 3 at Deauville on Saturday when beating Royal Ascot winner Map Of Stars by a neck.
"It was a huge thrill," he revealed. "We thought it was a pretty loaded race on paper. I loved the way the horse relaxed into the programme and behaved so well in the prelims. It all went to plan and was very satisfying."
The Bahrain International is the principal target but Scott has some other big races in mind prior to that test, saying: "I haven't had the chance to finalise any details with Sheikh Nassar but I think maybe his next run could arguably be the best run of his life the way he is progressing and I felt like the Irish Champion Stakes might really suit him.
"He's a very neat horse, very athletic, he's quick away from the stalls, he'd be able to get a good position. He'd travel round very smoothly and come off the bend. So it might be that we supplement him for something like that.
"If that looks really loaded, we'll see what happens with Aidan's horses, then we could go back to France for the Prix d'Orange ahead of Arc weekend."
More from Sporting Life
- Free bets
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
