Group 1-winning trainer George Scott feels there will be more to come from Bay City Roller in 2026 following his creditable second in Saturday's Qatar Prix Dollar.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy, the three-year-old was sent off 12/5 favourite for the 10-furlong Group 2 but found the Andre Fabre-trained First Look in no mood for passing.
Bay City Roller, who was runner-up to Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Daryz earlier in the season, was beaten a length and a quarter but, on a weekend dominated by horses drawn towards towards the inside, his trainer feels the result might have been a bit different with a lower starting post.
Speaking on Sky Sports Racing on Monday, Scott said: "When the draw came out and we were nine of nine, my heart sank to be honest. Because when you run at that level you can't afford anything to go against you, and for whatever reason he just broke a step slow.
"He was just detached then from the field. He's run a massive race but I don't think he's lost anything in defeat, he just didn't get the trip that we really wanted - it was no fault of anyone, it was just the set of circumstances. He just did so much running to get himself into that position. I don't think it was a representation of him at all, you'll see how much extra ground he had to make up.
"I'm not for one second suggesting we were the best horse in the race, I'm just saying if things had gone a little bit smoother we might have had an opportunity to really lock on and get upsides the winner. Whether we'd have gone past him is a completely different story.
"The winner, who is a very, very good and big, strong, physical horse, and a year older, just got a really nice trip and beat us fair and square but Bay City is honestly the most honest and genuine horse in my yard. He's finished second four times this year in five starts and I just feel it hasn't quite panned out for him. Him hanging was just him coming to the end of his run.
"We are considering another option (to run this year) for him, although it's unlikely. Whatever happens, next year he does look like a horse that should be able to take on the top-level races. I think he's a proper Group 1 horse in the making."
'The Group 1 just felt so different'
Despite that defeat, it was still a monumental weekend in Paris for the Scott team as Caballo De Mar gave the yard a first Group 1 win in the Qatar Prix du Cadran.
The four-year-old has been a remarkable improver having won an Ayr handicap off a mark of just 64 last September and gone on to win seven more races since then.
Scott said: "Caballo De Mar is an extraordinary story, he's progressed over the last year out of all recognition. I think his main attribute is his mindset.
"He's an incredibly tough horse mentally. What he's able to do it jump, get a position and then just completely gear down through most of the race and conserve a huge amount of energy.
"Tom (Marquand, jockey) said he didn't have a moment's worry and he could have kept going. He's such a unique horse and one we're really lucky to have.
"We've been training for 10 years and especially the last few years things having been going really well. We've had a lot of stakes winners but the Group 1 just felt so different.
"I had a feeling it might happen and that the horses were still very fresh. This horse, you can trust him. It was a really surreal moment. I actually tried to hide for the race, I was right down on the rail by myself in the crowd as I knew when we won a Group 1 I'd be very emotional and I was quite emotional for a few seconds which is quite unlike me. Then I just saw this camera come across in front of me and that's the video that seems to have become a part of the narrative.
"It's really hard to explain it unless you're living and breathing this game but when you equate it to people's lives, I guess you work so hard in your own lane and in your career, when you get to the pinnacle it's a moment that is very unique. It was incredibly special. I was able to speak to my family quite quickly afterwards and my team at home, my assistant Alex especially, so it was everything I'd imagined it to be."
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