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| Staff Writer |
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Fresh from shattering the Meydan 1000m track record in the Gr.2 Blue Point Sprint, George Scott's stable star West Acre heads into Super Saturday with high expectations following his breathtaking Group Two victory. The trainer now has his sights set on Super Saturday's Gr.3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint for the 3YO son of Mehmas before a potential tilt at Gr.1 glory in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.
"It is a rare moment on a racecourse that, as a trainer and owner, you really have your breath taken away. It is almost too good to be true at this stage," reflects Scott on the gelding's recent victory.
With his quirky personality finding a perfect home in the desert environment and a training regime specifically tailored to his temperament, Scott believes his charge has the potential to develop into a global sprinting force.
The numbers tell their own story: 55.38 seconds for the 1000m, leaving high-class rivals trailing in his wake by 3½ lengths.
With an incredible turn of foot, the gelding has the world at his feet.
“His turn of foot is a huge asset to him. It’s his weapon of choice, if you like, to sustain his potential. It will help him one day race at the top level,” he says, mindful of the increasing challenges ahead.
“He really has so much to look forward to,” Scott says with pride.
The victory in the Gr.2 Blue Point Sprint, worth US$231,500, marked a significant milestone for the gelding who had previously shown his talent on British all-weather tracks. "Ideally, we will go to the Al Quoz," Scott says of future plans.
“We will try to spend the majority of his time at five furlongs. But, he clearly enjoys the track at Meydan and the Al Quoz is a hugely significant race; therefore, we'd be prepared to step back up to six to have a go in it, provided everything goes well next Saturday,” says Scott.
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The journey to Dubai wasn't always part of the plan. After impressive victories at Newcastle and Southwell, Scott found himself with a talented but unexposed sprinter and limited options during the British winter.
"We were never able to race him on the grass due to little setbacks," Scott explains. "But his work at home has been really impressive on the grass. It was a breathtaking performance, considering it was only his second-ever start on the turf."
The decision to target Dubai has proved inspired, with West Acre taking to the Meydan environment like a natural. His quirky personality, which requires careful management, has actually found a perfect home in the desert.
"The system in place really suits him well. He's particularly well accommodated at the races with the idea of the jockey being legged up in the saddling area and only having to take half a turn in the paddock and then being pony to the start."
Scott's approach to training West Acre reflects a deep understanding of his charge's personality. "I think it's very important with a horse like him not to over-train him and not look for it too often at home. So a light training programme seems to work for him, and we will continue doing that."
This careful management extends to race days, where West Acre's temperament requires special attention. "He is quirky, he always will be, but he's very much settled at home in that environment. I'm very pleased with the way he's going about his work."
The development of West Acre has been a masterclass in patient handling. Scott's belief in the horse's potential has never wavered, even when setbacks delayed his turf debut. "There's always this concern that sprinters come a little bit in and out of form," Scott acknowledges. "But he really has so much to look forward to.”
The son of Mehmas comes from a strong sprinting pedigree. His dam, Lady Aria, was Group-placed herself, finishing second in the Gr.3 Dick Poole Stakes. As a £95,000 (approximately US$120,000) Goffs UK Premier yearling purchase, West Acre is proving to be a shrewd investment, having already earned over US$167,000 in prize money.
"It's going to be fascinating to see where he ends up and how good he really is," Scott muses. "Because at this stage, he's shown a lot of promise and then put in one scintillating performance – almost a performance that was hard to believe happened. It was so impressive."
The evolution of Blencowe's racing interests tells its own story of ambition and steady growth. From a single horse with Andrew Balding in 2019, his investment has grown significantly with a stable of horses across multiple trainers. Andrew had suggested to add in more trainers and that was when his racing manager Billy Jackson-Stops recommended George Scott.
The relationship between owner and trainer extends beyond the traditional boundaries. This connection has blossomed into something special, with West Acre serving as the perfect embodiment of their shared ambitions. "It was Michael's first really good horse, and he was visually almost emotional after the race in the Blue Point. It meant so much to him."
The immediate focus remains on Super Saturday's Gr.3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, but Scott's vision extends far beyond Dubai. "I mean, it's a little bit of a race-by-race programme, with his progression being so rapid," he explains, before laying out an ambitious international campaign.
The potential schedule reads like a who's who of global sprint races: Royal Ascot for the King's Stand Stakes, the Flying Five at The Curragh, potentially Nunthrope Stakes, and then a possible trip to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. "Yes, hopefully then we will go back to Dubai for the winter," Scott adds. "That would be the plan. Certainly, to come back to Dubai - maybe if he goes to the Breeders' Cup, he might start in the Nad Al Sheba or The Blue Point Sprint or something like that rather than just try for thr World Cup."
The progression from all-weather novice races to potential global campaigners represents a remarkable journey. "We can really start thinking that we've got a young sprinting star on our hands," Scott says, "but I want to see him do it again."
As Super Saturday approaches, the anticipation builds. West Acre's record-breaking performance in the Blue Point Sprint suggested the emergence of a special talent. As he prepares for his next challenge, the racing world watches with interest to see if this rising star can confirm the hopes on his shoulders and take another step toward global recognition.
Scott's measured approach, combined with obvious excitement about his charge's potential, suggests this could be just the beginning. With careful management and continued progression, West Acre might just develop into the international sprinting star his connections believe he can become. For now, though, all eyes are on Super Saturday, where the next chapter in this compelling story will unfold.