Midweek Thoughts (6th April)

I have been very cautious with betting since the start of the flat season, one winner a second and one unplaced and that's been it. I can honestly say it felt good just holding fire without jumping in all guns blazing with these early 2-year-old races as I’m pretty sure I would have been kicking myself for betting on the unknown. It was nice to see Sean Woods back with a 2-year-old winner after being away for a spell training winners in Hong Kong. General Panic was his first horse since being back and with James Doyle on board the Outstrip colt won in good style. The Craven meeting is on the horizon and I’m pretty sure we will see a few nice types out at Newmarket to get the excitement going again but for now I have a few 3-year-old trackers that could be worth a second look on the day. 

16:00 Gowran Park (IRE) 07 Apr 2021 

I will be checking the betting before I decide whether to bet on the Aidan O’Brien trained Pioneerof The Nile 3-year-old colt HANDEL on Wednesday after what was a pretty disappointing debut to say the least last June. A $250,000 purchase at The Saratoga Sale and owned by Mrs John Magnier & M Tabor & D Smith. Handel was sent off 7/1 for his debut race at Leopardstown after opening up an 11/2 shot. I’m even doubting myself here after watching the replay again where he finished stone last beaten over 20-lengths after being slightly hampered and eased off, it’s been a while since we have seen handel so it’s a bit of a long shot this one. One positive is that Aidan thought a lot of Handel last season and although not the most expensive colt in Ballydoyle by a long shot I will give him another chance if the betting allows. Chicago Black Hawk could be a warm order and comes with the best form after finishing third to Van Gogh last timeout. Probe is another who should be in the mix and come on after a decent debut at Curragh a couple of weeks ago. 

17:15 Newcastle 07 Apr 2021 

A pretty hot contest to make your debut in but all horses have to start somewhere hey, I know trainer George Scott gave PUNTA ARENAS a pretty decent write-up in his post last season but Imagine will be up against it first timeout against a few experienced rivals that’s not to say the bay gelding can’t put in a decent performance. Punta Arenas is by sire Quality Road and bred and owned by Flaxman Holdings Limited. 

Eye-catcher

I could be way out here and I know what readers will think, if WILD MOUNTAIN was an eye-catcher you need to go to specsavers and I wouldn’t blame you. I do like the combination of Paul Cole and owner Mrs Fitri Hay who do pop up with a winner now and again. Wild Mountain was pretty short in the betting (5/2) and you would of needed binoculars to see him as he was slowly away and detached until making up some ground towards the finish at Kempton yesterday, as I said it’s a speculative eye-catcher and I will be checking the betting next time he runs for some support. I’m pretty sure the posts will be coming thick and fast soon as the flat hots up so keep a lookout for my next post or follow me on Twitter and get involved as I chat about the days 2-year-old races. 

Thanks for reading and stay safe.

George Scott's 2yos to Follow in 2020

George Scott is a horse trainer who needs little introduction since launching his career at the end of 2015. 

Based at Eve Lodge Stables, Newmarket, off Hamilton Road, he has made a favourable impression with the racing industry and punters alike. 

Scott has made his name as a trainer of class horses including two-year-olds. 

James Garfield won the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury and contended the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, United States. 

Racing at the highest class at three, this son of Exceed And Excel now stands as a stallion at Rathbarry Stud, Ireland. 

George has been good enough to detail a few of his two-year-olds for the 2020 Flat season.    

REVERENTIAL Lope De Vega filly out of Fifth Commandment. She was purchased at Deauville, France, for 160,000 euros from Arqana Sales in August 2019. She is bred by Ballylinch Stud. She's a physical type and her full-sister won first timeout. I think Lope De Vega is one of the best stallions that is accessible to most trainers. This filly is a forward type with a fantastic attitude. I hope she will be ready for early summer.

GEORGE PEABODY is a colt by Holy Roman Emperor out of Swordhalf from Tattersalls October Book 2 Yearling Sale. He was purchased from Stauffenberg Bloodstock. Now in the ownership of W J and T C O Gredley (90,000 gns). The mare was a champion two-year-old in Germany. He’s a lovely rangey colt with a very good action. He’s currently enjoying a break back at the stud to strengthen up. I do think he's going to be a lovely backend two-year-old and a particularly nice three-year-old for next year. He’s a flashy horse with a white face and moves very well.

GREAT VIBES is a homebred daughter of Showcasing out of Whazzat, which makes her a half-sister to James Garfield. He's a fantastic stallion, who had plenty of speed. She's very athletic, tall and leggy and finds life relatively easy at this stage. I’m looking forward to galloping with her in six weeks. She goes very well. 

LATIFFA is a Kingman filly out of a mare called Lady Nouf, who was Listed-placed. I believe she was purchased at Tattersalls Book 2 for 72,000 gns. Wonder sire Kingman is quickly becoming one of the leading stallions in Europe. Latiffa is an excellent moving filly although she is from a late-maturing family so I don't think she will be out till later in the year. She does everything easy and she's a very pretty filly with a good constitution.

PERFECT COUNTRY is a filly by Australia out of Scarlet Empire and cost 40,000 euros from Goffs Yearling Sales. She's a huge grey filly with a long stride. She’s from the family of Sky Lantern. All she’s done is grown and she's still got plenty of maturing to do but I am confident she can be a lovely staying filly for next year. 

PUNTA ARENAS is owned and bred by the Niarchos Family. He's by Quality Road out of a mare called Absolute Crackers. It’s pretty exciting to have a Quality Road colt. He's a fantastic sire in America and this is a very very good looking horse with a very good action. The mare was useful - she was rated in the 90s. I believe her first foal who ran last year is above average. This horse will be a nice middle-distance horse in time.

SMASH HIT (70,000 gns) is sired by Territories out of a mare called Sell Out who I believe was rated 109/110 mark and won a Listed race in France. She produced a couple of stakes horses and Territories is a stallion I thought made a lot of sense. This horse has quite a lot of Invincible Spirit in him. He's an easy-moving horse and very very good looking and goes well at home. He will be a nice summer two-year-old. 

SIMULATION THEORY is a nice colt. He’s by Starspangledbanner typically out of a mare called Barawin and cost 30,000 gns. He's typical of the sire: chest out horse and huge long stride. I’ve been very pleased with his progress and he's an enormous horse and going to be a monster one day and a very easy-moving horse with a good attitude. He won't be ready until later in the summer but I think he's going to be a nice fast horse who will progress over the next year or so. 

TEQUILA TEQUILA filly out of Tequila Sunrise, sired by Iffraaj. She's a half-sister to an unraced three-year-old in my yard who I like. She was a cheap purchase at 11,000 gns but goes very well. She's just started some light work and should be ready to run when the season starts.

BUNGLEDUPINBLUE is a filly sired by Bungle Inthejungle out of Generous Heart and cost £23,000 at the yearling sales. She's very sharp and would have run in the first two-year-old race of the season (Brocklesby Stakes). She goes nicely and has a really good attitude and I think she will be one who could be very competitive on debut.

Thank you, George. Have a great season and thanks for your support.  

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Author Craig Newton

**KNOW THE BEST HORSES IN TRAINING (BEFORE THEY RACE!)**

George Scott: Stepping Up to the Next Level

Having spent four flourishing years at Saffron House Stables, George Scott has recently moved just a few hundred yards to Eve Lodge Stables Newmarket. This is a sign in itself that George is stepping up to the next level. 

I have no doubt he will after yet another consistent season in 2019. 

George, how long have you been involved in horse racing? 

Since I left School in 2008 I went straight to work for Paul Nicholls and then progressed through from Mark Tompkins to Michael Bell then did a stint in America then worked for Lady Cecil at Warren Place and then started training horses four years ago. 

If you weren't a trainer what would you have done?

I quite enjoy the idea of working in the city, a couple of my best mates work as traders and the excitement and energy they put in look fun although the reality is I would hate it. My father is a farmer, again it would be a nice idea to go farming but there's no competitiveness being a farmer and that's what we enjoy most, tough question but would probably go to the city.

Do you feel a lot of pressure training horses or is it a relaxed career that you enjoy all the time? 

Definitely, feel pressure when the horses are running badly and the bills are a bit tight but generally really enjoy it, overall it's a fantastic life but really only when the horses are running well and the owners are happy. 

If you could train any horse in history who would it be and why? 

I would probably train American Pharoah in America to win the Triple Crown, I thought he was an incredible horse, and I was at Belmont when he won the third leg of his Triple Crown which was really amazing and it was an amazing event, he looks like he's going to be a fantastic stallion as well. 

Do you have a favourite horse in the yard? 

My favourite horse in the yard would probably be Moll Davis who is a filly we are looking forward to seeing next year and she's definitely one of my favourites and we have an old lead horse called Phosphorescence who has been with us since day one and he would be another one of my favourites for different reasons. 

What's been the highlight of your career so far? 

Definitely running in the Breeders Cup. It was a fantastic occasion even though we didn't get much luck in running but James Garfield overall has been my career highlight - him winning the Mill Reef but ending up in the Breeders Cup was pretty exciting. 

A typical day in the life of George Scott? 

Get up at 5.50 a.m. I get into work as the first lot pulls out at 7.00 a.m. We have four lots in the morning and finish at 12.30. Then I go home have lunch, generally, have a sleep, come back for evening stables or go racing. 

I finish work at 6 or go racing. Then there's a lot of time on the phone in between sending messages to owners or talking to owners or sending pictures, then looking at form, so it's pretty busy inside and outside the yard. 

If you could win any race before you retired, what would it be and why? 

Definitely be the Derby, it's an iconic race not only in this country but around the world. I don't think any race in this country gets near to the significance and prestige of the Derby, so I would love to win the Derby. 

How is James Garfield? 

He's good, he got a nice amount of mares in his first cover around 85, and they are very happy with him he's very fertile, and we are looking forward to training some of his progeny. 

See, James Garfield's racecourse results. 

[Craig] I love watching the 2-year-olds progress over the year. 

It's early days but do you have a nice bunch for next season and hopefully another James Garfield? 

Yes, we have a really nice bunch of yearlings this year we have got our biggest number of yearlings, I think we have about 35 and we spent some good money at the sales. I have also been sent some nice homebred so am really optimistic about this bunch, its really early days I don't really have a stand out horse at the moment but there is a horse called Punta Arenas by Quality Road that's been given a Derby entry and is a quality animal, the sire is absolutely flying in America and he's out of a mare called Absolute Crackers who was in his low 90s for Jessica Harrington, he's got a nice pedigree and I like that. 

What do you do to relax when you get the time? 

I like to go and have lunch or dinner with friends and my wife and love all sports so watch a lot of sports, football, rugby, cricket anything. 

Any nice horses for next season or on the all-weather over the winter that my readers can follow?

Earth And Sky has been pretty consistent and has already won a couple of races this year and can continue to progress and Lyndon B is going to Dubai and is really well after giving him a break after winning at Sandown I think he could be a really competitive horse. 

Thanks to George Scott for his time and good luck for the future.

Visit George Scott's website.

Twitter: @georgeoscott

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👀 Take a moment to have a look round our fantastic new home Eve Lodge. With an indoor ride, treadmill, turnout and staff accommodation we have lots to look forward to in 2020. pic.twitter.com/ZBOwFCSyVk

— George Scott (@georgeoscott) November 3, 2019

Photographs: 

1) George Scott Breeders' Cup 2017 
2) Jame Garfield