Scott fears fast ground will derail Roller’s King George bid

George Scott is content to give Bay City Roller a mid-summer break ahead of a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe tilt in the autumn if conditions do not allow his Coronation Cup hero to take part in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Although the dual Group One winner is being trained for Ascot’s Group One highlight on Saturday week, a lack of rain in the current weather forecasts – and therefore the prospect of fast ground – has the Eve Lodge handler well aware he may have to forego a trip to Berkshire with his star four-year-old.

“He’s training really well but he won’t run unless we get rain and at the moment there doesn’t look to be too much in the forecast,” explained Scott.

“There’s a slim chance the weather might break very close to raceday so we will prepare him for the race and he’s been trained for the King George but he won’t be running unless conditions are right.

“He doesn’t need it soft, he just doesn’t want summer fast ground. He ran a brilliant race in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on quickish ground so doesn’t need it soft but he does need the majority of the going description to read good and also that to have come from natural rainfall rather than watered ground.”

After some fine outings in defeat, it was in Munich were Bay City Roller secured his maiden Group One success late last year and having added to his top-level haul in the mud at Epsom, all roads this term lead to Paris on the first weekend of October for a crack at Europe’s richest middle-distance contest.

En route to the Arc, the son of New Bay could get an early sighter of the track in the Prix Foy, while a trip to Leopardstown is also an option with connections determined to arrive at ParisLongchamp on October 4 in peak condition.

Scott added: “I won’t be able to keep him going all summer because it’s impossible to maintain a horse’s peak condition over such a long period of time.

“If we don’t run in the King George we’ll have a short period of down time with him and then prepare him for either the Prix Foy or Irish Champion Stakes and we’ll see which race is most suitable nearer the time as a prep for the Arc.

“100 per cent the Arc is the most important race, not only in the autumn for him but his life, and everything is leading towards that and getting him to Paris in the best condition he can be in for the Arc.”