Caballo De Mar just one who has George Scott raring to go in 2026

It may be a new year, but George Scott will always have fond memories of 2025.

That is because the Newmarket handler made the breakthrough at the highest level for the first time and he heads into 2026 brimming with optimism for his thriving string.

However, had you paused the 2025 campaign at the end of September it would tell a different tale – one with the trainer trapped inside a prism of frustration.

Bay City Roller’s endeavours had at that point been thwarted in a never-ending game of soft-ground roulette, while dreams of sprinting domination with Staya had already been dashed and stable stalwart Isle Of Jura’s sole run of the year would prove to be his last.

One weekend in Paris would change everything, though, when this time Scott’s roll of the dice struck lucky and the ever-improving Caballo De Mar stormed to Prix du Cadran glory to provide his trainer with that hitherto elusive Group One strike.

“It started a bit slow and when you look back you can use the benefit of hindsight and pick through it a little bit,” said Scott.

“I’m not sure the horses really fired in the spring and then I didn’t really have any big bullets to fire at Royal Ascot, but I still felt some of the team under achieved.

“Staya is one I will take to my grave as the one who got away, with her injury. I thought she was so talented and the way she won the Dragon Stakes showed that. I really believed in her and thought she was a Group One filly.

“At that point you were wondering what might happen, but from sort of midsummer onwards it just became a bit of a dream season for many reasons. We’ve travelled horses successfully again and had three stakes-winning two-year-olds.”

He went on: “Caballo’s rise had just been extraordinary and to win a Cadran at the Arc meeting, as a trainer it is something that you always dream you might be able to do and it was special.

“He is going to need to prove himself again next season, but he’s very, very tough, he stays very well and after Longchamp owes us nothing.”

Even better was still to come, as Bay City Roller finally had his moment in the spotlight to quickly double Scott’s top-level haul, dazzling in Munich as Europe’s final Group One of the year provided last-gasp just rewards.

“Bay City Roller was the one you were looking at and thinking things hadn’t quite gone his way and I was just so relieved and delighted he got his ground in Munich and he was able to show his quality,” explained Scott.

“I just couldn’t believe he wasn’t able to nail one of those nice races, but again with hindsight, his performance in Germany clearly shows what he had to offer if things had fallen differently for him.

“He will have questions to answer next year when he runs in Group One company again, but I have so much confidence in the horse and that win is a big step in the right direction for him. It was an amazing way to end the season.”

With Isle Of Jura sailing off into retirement, Scott’s Group One heroes will lead the Eve Lodge battalion when the spring air emerges and the Rowley Mile loudspeaker begins to echo across the Heath.

For Caballo De Mar, a trip to the Middle East could prove the catalyst to Royal Ascot and Gold Cup ambitions, while further riches will also be on Bay City Roller’s agenda.

“Caballo De Mar is going to go to Dubai World Cup night for the Gold Cup there as I think it will do him good and set him up well for the domestic season,” said Scott.

“I think it will be a good stepping stone to go to Dubai and then maybe to France for the Group One there and then I would love to end up running in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, I really would.

“With Bay City, we just need to find one of those Group Ones where it has been hammering down and he can turn up, get on the lead and I think then he’ll be hard to beat. We will just need some luck and to find one of those days.”

Alongside the A-listers set to return, there is also excitement another gem will be unearthed among a stable currently full of both belief and that all-important quality.

“This will be the first time I will be going into a new season with a real bunch of nice three-year-olds,” explained Scott.

“We’ve always taken a couple of nice types forward, but we’ve got a handful of horses who we can realistically be considering for a trial and plenty of unraced two-year-olds that I think are really nice horses with very good pedigrees from top stallions.

“I feel like, as a stable, we are maturing now and it’s important to have good three-year-olds ready to run in the spring. This is our first year having those horses and I’m excited about that.”