Scott hoping to see the ‘real’ Caballo De Mar at York
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 20 Aug 2026
Caballo De Mar bids to banish Gold Cup disappointment when he lines up for the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup at York on Friday.
The five-year-old was virtually pulled up after dropping away from the two-furlong marker at Ascot, with the on-course vet reporting he was showing signs of heat stress in the aftermath.
He will certainly not have to cope with extreme temperatures of that nature on the Knavesmire, where he drops back in trip to two miles and half a furlong from two and a half miles.
The Victorious Forever-owned gelding preceded his Royal run by striking at Group One level in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp and trainer George Scott swerved Goodwood with his focus entirely on York.
Scott said: “He is a consistent horse, but whenever a horse finishes his race in the manner he did at Ascot you just hope more than anything that they will bounce back.
“To be honest, he has been training great. I deliberately missed Goodwood and didn’t even think about preparing him for it and I have been really, really pleased with him since then and feel like he is my best chance of the week.
“He had a horrible race in the Gold Cup. He did a lot of racing early on and he obviously fundamentally got pulled up.
“We wanted to give him plenty of time to get over that and let him find a rhythm again at home and enjoy himself. I’m confident that he has and the two miles there with a little bit of cut in the ground, which seems inevitable, should be perfect for him.
“At Ascot if you stop the video a furlong and a half out he is the only one that is anywhere near the front two. He paid the price for early exuberance in the race and I’m confident you will see the real Caballo.”
Al Nayyir won the Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan to get on the board at Group level and was third in the Lonsdale last year, and beaten just a short heard by Vauban in 2024.
Trainer Tom Clover is happy with the condition of the eight-year-old and hopes he can improve on his near-misses.
“He’s been placed in this race a couple of times now and has won his Group Three this year,” said the trainer. “He’s in great form and I hope he can run another encouraging race.”
Amiloc bids to atone for a luckless run in the Goodwood Cup when he led home Scandinavia without his rider having unshipped jockey Hector Crouch shortly after leaving the stalls.
The Ralph Beckett-trained four-year-old appeared to see out the trip at Goodwood albeit with no jockey, but steps up in distance having previously finished sixth to Giavellotto in the Hardwicke over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot.
Quickthorn, meanwhile, is set to return to action after nearly two years off the track, with trainer Hughie Morrison keeping his fingers crossed the Knavesmire will be safe enough for his fragile but talented nine-year-old.
Morrison said: “We are just hoping that he doesn’t embarrass us and comes home in one piece. He has done plenty of work and if he can show us a little bit of his old sparkle we will be happy.”
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