Scott opts for Sandown with Bay City Roller

George Scott has skipped the Prix du Jockey Club with Bay City Roller who will instead make his seasonal reappearance in the Star Sports Heron Stakes – ground permitting.

The unbeaten Champagne Stakes winner was being initially aimed at the Irish 2,000 Guineas before he had his attentions switched to the French Derby.

However, with warm weather in France and rain forecast in the UK, Scott feels he has better chance of getting more suitable conditions at Sandown on Thursday evening.

“We’ve been battling with the weather. Every time we make a plan for him it seems to dry up,” he said.

“We’re very keen to run him on good ground at the fastest. So although they water very well in France, it looks a very warm build up to that race and we just thought it was sensible with the rain around to redirect to Sandown.

“We’ve got the impression that 10 furlongs isn’t going to be a problem but where we are at, with the lack of opportunities at this stage of the season, we’ve had to go where the race is so he’ll start off at a mile.”

He added: “I’m very happy with the horse, he’s training as well as you could hope and he’s in really good shape. He’s a horse who has won at the track so we won’t be looking for any excuses, put it that way.”