Having begun life in handicaps off a mark of 65 in 2024, it’s hard to believe George Scott would ever have thought he’d be dealing with a Gold Cup runner in Caballo De Mar. It took him five starts in handicaps to get off the mark, when a three-quarters-of-a-length winner at Ayr off 64.
Four consecutive further victories ensued, including a valuable handicap at Southwell last April. He proved his meteoric rise wasn’t over when second in the Chester Cup and the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Despite being on the go since March, he remarkably won the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at Longchamp beating stalwart stayer Coltrane. Caballo De Mar confirmed his wellbeing when second in the Dubai Gold Cup, and now his Gold Cup preparation ramps up in the Longines Sagaro Stakes tomorrow.
Speaking to the Press Association, via Racing TV, his trainer George Scott said: “I’m very pleased with him. He’s moving great and seems bright, this has been the plan since Dubai. We were very keen to get to Ascot and prepare for the Gold Cup and it’s all systems go.
“Honestly, he’s not the best work horse. He just does his own thing, he’s very laid back. He’s in tremendous form and I’m very, very happy with him. He’s very fresh and absolutely ready to rock.”
Ground to determine whether Gold Cup will surface will be too quick
Having displayed strong performances on easier going, the spanner in the Gold Cup works may lie in the going. Scott continued: “We’re keen to run him on Friday on this surface. Which will be good to firm even though it won’t be like good to firm in summer. If you could give me ideal ground it would be on the easy side of good. But I want to use this as an opportunity to see if it came up quick at Royal Ascot, whether we’d take our chance.
“If he struggled on the ground on Friday then we’d know that we need to stay off the ground. For the time being.”
Caballo De Mar will face eight rivals, including the consistent Sweet William. The son of Sea The Stars has often come up short in group 1 company, but is always feared at this lower level. Tabletalk has developed into a consistent performer at this level, and ran a career best after a gelding operation last time out.
Melrose winner Tarriance was behind Tabletalk at Riyadh, also after a gelding operation, and he has the potential to develop into a smart staying prospect.