George Scott Stable Tour: a guide to his 2026 team
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Wed 6 May 2026
by Graham Clark
There was no shortage of success both at home and abroad for George Scott last year, but he looks in a good position to raise the bar again given the strength and depth of his team.
Not only did the Newmarket handler train a new personal best domestic tally of 44 winners, but he also saddled Stakes winners in seven different countries, despite being dealt the blow of having to retire 2024 Hardwicke Stakes hero Isle Of Jura on the back of one run last year.
George Scott was crowned International Trainer of the Year at the HWPA Derby Awards in December.(Photo: Francesca Altoft - focusonracing.com)
In October, the 37-year-old enjoyed another breakthrough moment when tasting his first sample of Group One glory after Caballo De Mar continued his own incredible journey with victory in the Qatar Prix du Cadran at Longchamp.
And the father-of-three did not have to wait long for Group One number two to follow after Bay City Roller bagged the Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern the following month.
With both those horses spearheading the team Scott has at his disposal in 2026, alongside a useful roster of three year olds and a two year old team stacked with potential, it is easy to see why he is optimistic regarding the months ahead.
Scott said: “I’m very pleased with where I am at the moment, but at the same time there are areas we can improve on as we have set the bar quite high in the last couple of years.
“There is a long way to go to get into the top ten as that is where I want to end up. We will keep pushing for it and I think we are going in the right direction.
“Our domestic figures only tell half the story last year as we had seven stakes winners in seven different countries last year.
“Our domestic stats might take a bit of a bashing because we travel horses so much. I think getting 50 domestic winners would be an aim this season and to win a domestic Group One is the next rung on the ladder.
“I’m really optimistic about the future as we have got the best team of horses we’ve had by some way.”
ALTHER WALDEN
“I don't know what happened at Musselburgh. He had never run on a track like that and he is too big for a track like that. He was not robust enough, but he's obviously a talented horse that things need to go smoothly for.
“We checked everything and nothing came to light. We have just got to put a line through it and move on. He got a bit of a bump and a bit of a fright, and Kevin (Stott) was quick to pull him up, which was great. I was happier that he did that instead of rowing away for fifth or sixth.
“I was thinking of the German St. Leger for him before he did that. It still might be an option as that isn’t until September so he has got plenty of time.
“We will keep it very low-key with him for now. We will try to find him a nice galloping flat track."
ALVIN
“He is one that we want to go for the Palace Of Holyroodhouse with at Royal Ascot. I'm going to run him again because I don't want to be sweating to get in.
“He is going to run at Chester on Friday under a penalty in a handicap.
“He is a fast horse and a very well handicapped horse. If things go smoothly for him mentally, then he would be competitive.
“He is just a big baby and mentally he has let himself down a couple of times, but he was brilliant the the last day.
“I'd love just to go and win a neck somewhere and go up three or four pounds to get into the Palace Of Holyroodhouse.
"I don’t want to be sweating to get into a race like that with a horse who you really fancy.”
ANCHIANO
“He is a two year old that has come from the breeze up sales. He is going to run at York at the Dante meeting next week. We’ve been pleased with him since he arrived and he is a very sharp forward horse. He could be a Royal Ascot type.”
BAY CITY ROLLER
Bay City Roller (centre) runs in the Huxley Stakes this week and could be a horse for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, says George Scott.
“It was the right decision not to run in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket on Friday. The plan is that he now goes to the Huxley Stakes at Chester on Thursday.
“He is obviously going to have to concede a Group One penalty to a dual Derby winner in Lambourn, but the track will suit him well.
“He is a horse that loves to go forward. He is very agile and it's a perfect race, timing wise, ahead of running in either the Tattersalls Gold Cup or maybe the Coronation Cup, if it was soft at Epsom.
“It is very much a prep run for a Group One. He is a good horse on good ground, but he is an exceptional horse with cut in the ground.
"He has got a good level of form in France and the dream later in the season would be to run him in the Arc.”
BEHIKE
“The plan is to go to Doncaster with him a week on Saturday for another novice event. He is a very talented colt that is training really nicely and I’m very pleased with him.
“We will take one step at a time. I don't want to start dictating where he's going to go from there on in. It will be a nice transition from an all-weather maiden to Doncaster on a straight track where he will have to do it the right way round.
“That is very much the plan, unless it is very soft when he could then go back to Lingfield the following Monday.
“If he was impressive next time his owners might like him to go to Royal Ascot afterwards, but I definitely think he can run in stakes races at some point.”
CABALLO DE MAR
Caballo De Mar landed the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp last autumn.(Photo: Liesl King)
“It was career best at Ascot, obviously conceding a penalty to a very good stayer in Sweet William, and he ran way better than I had expected. He's going to go straight to the Ascot Gold Cup.
“There was the possibility of going to France in between, but I think we just want to make sure that we get him to the Gold Cup absolutely A1.
“He doesn't need to run again and you could jeopardise his chance in the Gold Cup by going to France and having a very hard race.
“Two miles and four furlongs around Ascot is tailormade for him. My only concern would be if it's like that summer fast ground. If it was anything other than I'd really fancy him.
“It is a dream really to have a horse who's going to be very competitive in the Gold Cup. You can set your clock by him as well.
“In a nice way he is an utter freak. He was rated sixty five at first and now he is one hundred and fifteen. I’ve never known a horse improve like him.
“There are loads of options for him after that to keep him busy. But I will keep him very fresh for that.”
COMMANDER’S INTENT
“It hasn’t quite happened for him yet this year. He ran fine in the Craven, but then in Germany he caught further back than he wanted to be but he was beaten less than a length.
“He will go to the Silver Bowl up at Haydock Park next then either the Britannia or the Golden Gates at Royal Ascot with cheekpieces on.
“He is a beautiful horse and I expect him to be a big part of our international team for the next couple of years. I think he is a good horse, and he will probably want gelding at some point.
“My gut feeling is he is a miler, but he is threatening to go further. I think a strong mile is what he wants so I would say it is unlikely that I will step him up in trip until after Royal Ascot. The Britannia would be the favoured race I would say.”
COMMAND THE STARS
“He was way too fresh at Newmarket. He is at Chester on Thursday and I would expect him to run much better. Once we get him into a rhythm in his racing we can look to step him back up in trip. I think he will find a very decent level of form. He is a tough horse and he needs plenty of racing.
“He will run twice before Royal Ascot and then he could run in one of the handicaps there. He could go for the Golden Gates or maybe a Britannia.
“He was a very strong two-year-old and he is not done by any means.”
EFSIXTEEN
Efsixteen made an impressive winning debut at Newmarket on Sunday.
“She is obviously a smart filly. Mentally she is extraordinary. She has just been a star since she arrived. She will ideally run again before Royal Ascot, but she doesn't have to.
“She could run at Yarmouth in two weeks over five furlongs. Although I think she will go six furlongs at Royal Ascot in the Albany I don't want to run her over six furlongs until then.
“She is a great advert for the stallion and a great advert for the breeze up sales. She is tall, and she has got quite a lot of maturing to do. She is not just all about Royal Ascot.
“We only had her for two weeks before her debut and honestly we didn't look under the bonnet. We just did two quiet pieces of work.
"We had Staya run in the Queen Mary last year and we feel she is better than her. Staya ran very well at Royal Ascot, but she was a bit green there and that is why I want to get two runs into this filly. I think she'll have a very good summer ahead of her.”
FORTY YEARS ON
“She is a very smart filly and, in a different world, she could be unbeaten. She is in the Victoria Cup on Saturday, but she needs rain.
“She's ready to go and she is very well handicapped. She's a big filly so she might need a run, no matter how much I do with her.
“She is going to run in those valuable handicaps and hopefully progress. The plan would be to get some black type with her. She could easily end up in France a couple of times this year. She is probably be my dark horse of the season.
“I think she's a seven furlong specialist, so she could run in a Buckingham Palace, but she has still got some way to go in the weights.
“I really believe she is a seven furlong filly on good or good to soft ground, and then if it was heavy, I'd run her over six furlongs. Although she has won over a mile at Haydock Park I think that trip just stretches her.”
FRONTLINE FURY
“I was a bit disappointed with him in Newmarket. He travelled well, but it didn’t like the track.
“He has dropped a couple of pounds. He definitely is on the winning mark, without question, but he will end up probably with Fawzi Nass in Bahrain in the winter.
“I think he'll suit Bahrain really well. We will try to win a race with him and then he will prepare for a season in Bahrain.”
MAJOR NEIGH SAYER
“It was an underwhelming run on the Rowley Mile. I ran him over a mile and I think he wants to come back to six or seven furlongs with some headgear on. He will find his groove for sure, but he might need gelding.
“He can definitely win off his mark of eighty three, but he didn't look like he wanted to the other day, so I'm just working on getting his mind in the right and going in the right direction.
“There is a seven furlong nought to ninety five handicap he could run in at the Dante meeting at York. Fast ground on a flat track should suit him.”
MIDNIGHT RODEO
“He was due to run at Goodwood before it was called off, but we have been waiting for some rain with him. He is in at Windsor on Monday and hopefully they get some rain in that area.
“He is a big horse that will start over a mile, but he might get a mile and a quarter. He is very straightforward, sound, and could easily win off his mark.
“He started life off a low mark so you would want to see him progress, but he is a solid horse with a good mindset.”
NO RETREAT
“He is just going to go straight to the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot. I feel like he's a horse that goes well fresh. He is going to have a big weight, but he is a very talented horse. He is not the easiest to train, but when he's good he's very good.
“I'm not one hundred percent convinced that he wants a straight track, but I'm prepared to let him try again. It was a disaster in the race last year as he was badly drawn and he was never at the races. He is much better than that.
“He will be on his travels for the winter and we might, if we can get him going the right direction, think about something over at Kentucky Downs for him.
"There is huge prize money, it is on a turning track, and on fast ground so it could be an option.”
OBJECTOR
“I think the underdating track didn't suit him at all at Newmarket. He was a bit green being on the grass the first time. Everything that could go wrong went wrong for him. It was just a run you can put a line through.
"He was definitely crying out for a bit further so he could be aimed at the London Gold Cup over ten furlongs at Newbury.
“I know he's going to be a big price in a race like that off the back of that run but I still think he retains plenty of ability.
“If we decided to stick at a mile there is also a mile handicap there the same day. Newbury will suit him much better.”
O'GORMAN
“He's going to run in a six furlong novice when the weather breaks. He is a very good looking, big, physical horse so he will run before Royal Ascot.
“If someone wanted a runner at Royal Ascot he might be up for the job, if he wins his next novice. I'd run him in the Coventry Stakes if it rained.
“I could see him being very busy this season. He is owned by a group of very fun people and I could see him running lots this season in different places. He still looks quite versatile trip wise.
"He is a really fun two-year-old that I could see running ten times this year.
“He is just that type of horse that we've done well with before."
PHANTOM FLIGHT
Phantom Flight is set to follow a similar route back to Bahrain.
“I think Phantom Flight winning the King's Cup meant he won more money than any horse I've ever trained in one race, which is quite cool. He is a legend.
“I made a mistake by running him at Newbury, but I'm not afraid to make mistakes. You've got to give it a go when you feel like it's right.
“He has come back from a break and he will go for the Wolverton. He actually ran well in the Wolverton last year. He was way too far back, just due to the circumstances, but he ran on and was only beaten three lengths into seventh.
“He will just go for that and then he will have a very similar route back to Bahrain. He's a brilliant horse in Bahrain and he loves that track as he is by far at his best around there.
“It is important for us to try and win those races.”
PIXIE DIVA
“She ran on ground which was too fast for her at Ascot and she was a bit fresh. I think you will see a much better filly with some cut in the ground and she will definitely win off her mark again
“She looks like she can go six furlongs now. I just think she is a filly that will be around for another couple of years and I could see her running in black type races one day.
“She is only rated seventy seven at the moment, but I do believe she can reach that level as she has got an engine.”
POATAN
“He's a really talented horse, but he has to have soft ground, and we're living in a desert at the moment here so he is not ready to run.
“I could see him maybe getting on the boat to France. His season probably won't really start until a bit later in the year.
“He has been gelded so there is no rush with him. He is a very talented horse but he could never run with anything firm in the going description. I'm just taking my time with him as he has got quite a lot of maturing to do as well.
“I think he would just be a horse that could very much pay his way in sprint handicaps. He might be a bit better than that on soft ground, but there's just been no opportunity to run him yet.”
PRYDWEN
Prydwen is set to run in Group Two company in Germany on Sunday.
“Although he ducked out of form a little bit it was clear that he was coming back into form this spring so I haven't been surprised that he has shown a high level of form again.
“It didn't surprise me at Ripon, but it did surprise some other people. When you get into those types of races the trip isn't quite as relevant I don't think.
“He is a horse that likes to go forward and he is able to travel strongly so I wasn't worried that he'd be outpaced back over a mile and a half.
“It was just a case of what was in form in the race. The race fell apart a bit, and it was there for the taking, and he took it. I think that was more relevant than the trip.
“He goes to Germany on Sunday for a valuable Group Two back over two miles at Hoppegarten called the Oleander-Rennen.
“I've said to the owners if he wins there they can have another crack at Royal Ascot in the Copper Horse.
“I don't really have a set plan with him because it's just a matter of catching him in form, now he is an older horse. It is one step at a time starting with Germany on Sunday and then we'll take it from there.”
RELIABLE RICKI
“He did really well to win at Doncaster on Saturday. They went slow and I asked Cameron (Rodriguez) to drop him in and he gave him a good ride.
“There's a handicap at York, the meeting after the Dante, which is a nought to eighty. His owner is a big fan of York and you would think with the way that he won that he has got a bit more wiggle room. He's just a nice, progressive three-year-old.
“He has a good mind and goes on any ground so he ticks a lot of boxes. He can run over seven furlongs or a mile as neither trip is a problem.”
SEA VENTURE
“She is by Sea The Stars. She has been very straightforward and she came from the breeze up sale as well. She is one that hopefully will be quite useful when we get her out on the track.”
SHADOW BRIGADE
“He had a setback early in the spring, but he is back sound, grown and matured a lot. That hold up did him the world of good and I wouldn't be surprised if he goes further than seven furlongs.
“He could be well handicapped. He was very expensive so we were hoping that he had done a little bit better than he has done so far.
“He is a very good physical. He is trotting at the moment and he should be ready in six weeks or so.”
“He will definitely win a maiden at the time of year he comes out and we will then go from there.”
WAVE RIDER
“He is a recent purchase. He was a little bit underwhelming in Bahrain although he did finish second to Sovereign Spirit. We have just had his wind done and I think that's going to make a big difference to him.
“He wants some cut in the ground. I think the ground was too quick for him in Bahrain. He could end up being a nice horse in the autumn.
“He could go back to Dubai for the winter where the ground's a little bit softer. I know that sounds silly, but it is good ground in Dubai as most horses handle it, even soft ground horses.”
WEST ACRE
“He is having a break. We felt like we would be in too much of a rush to get him to Ascot. He will start sprinting in the summer here, but there is a race at Woodbine or there's a race at Kentucky Downs.
“He will then go back to Dubai where we learned a lot about him this winter. He got better as the winter went on when we worked him out and he likes it out there so it makes sense to go back over there with him.”
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