Caballo De Mar out to test Gold Cup credentials in Sagaro Stakes Caballo De Mar has already played a huge part in George Scott’s rise up the training ranks and now could provide him with a contender for the Gold Cup when he goes on trial for Royal Ascot in the Longines Sagaro Stakes. The rapidly improving five-year-old gave the Eve Lodge handler Group One glory for the first time when landing the Prix du Cadran last autumn and will now attempt to lay down a firm marker in the staying division after a pleasing comeback run when second in the Dubai Gold Cup. Laid-Back Temperament Masks Elite Staying Ability 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.” Friday’s outing will also give a gauge on how conditions could dictate future targets. Scott added: “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.” Condition Testing At Headquarters For French Classic Hero John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William sets the standard on his proven form at the highest level over a number of years and looked as good as ever last autumn when winning the Doncaster Cup for a second time before chasing home stablemate Trawlerman on British Champions Day. However, one bringing untapped potential to the race is Tabletalk, a model of consistency over shorter distances and one Tom Clover is eager to see up at two miles following a fine weight-carrying display in Riyadh in the Red Sea Turf Handicap. Clover said: “It has been the plan since Saudi to come here and at the weights you’d like to think he has a chance of being there or thereabouts. “We felt it was a really strong run in the Red Sea Turf giving away 3lb to Sons And Lovers. He’s trained nicely since, we’ve been really happy with him and we hope he can run a really encouraging race. “You would like to think he could win a Group Three and he looks in good shape. He’s finished second in four of his last six starts and also ran a huge race in the Hardwicke from a tricky draw. “We hope and feel his future lies over two miles, so hopefully we can see a little more improvement for the extra furlong he tackles here. He ran a big race in Saudi and then hit the line strong while conceding weight to everyone so I would hope he can get a bit of luck and run well.” Untapped Potential Emerges From Saudi Stakes Form Third that day in Saudi Arabia was Andrew Balding’s Tarriance who is also in action once again. The Kingsclere handler told Sky Sports Racing: “He ran very well in Saudi Arabia on his latest start and we’re looking forward to getting his domestic season going. He’s a lovely horse and did nothing but improve last year. “He stays very well and certainly handles fast ground well. He ran with credit and it was his first trip abroad. He’s a relatively young horse so it was good experience for him and he’s come out of it really well. “I think he can improve with another year’s experience. These stayers tend to improve as they get more seasoned. He’s going to be of that ilk. “I hope he could be a Gold Cup horse. We had recently-retired Coltrane who was a really good stayer for many years. He won the Melrose as a three-year-old as well and just kept improving as he matured and I hope for the same could be said of Tarriance in time.”
