Bay City Roller will compete in the Prix Foy at Longchamp on Sunday, stepping aside from the William Hill September Stakes at Kempton Park. The George Scott-trained four-year-old, who recently secured a 10-length victory at Epsom on Derby Day, had been the 11-4 second favourite for Kempton’s 12-furlong event. However, his connections have opted to revert to the original plan to use the Prix Foy as a preparatory race ahead of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Billy Jackson-Stops, racing manager for the horse’s Bahrain-based owners Victorious Forever, noted concerns over the expected ground conditions at Kempton. Initial forecasts indicated a race day temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, raising fears the surface would be ‘good to firm.’ Recent rainfall and watering, however, are expected to produce good turf conditions at Longchamp, which are better suited to Bay City Roller’s running style.

Jackson-Stops described the Prix Foy as an ideal preparation, occurring four weekends before the Arc: “It’s a really good prep and, timing-wise, it works so well.” He also emphasized that the horse is in peak condition ahead of the race. Trainer George Scott expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming run, with the understanding that Bay City Roller will benefit from the outing as he aims to peak for the Arc itself.

Sunday’s Prix Foy will feature the 2025 Arc winner Daryz, who is heavily favoured at odds of 1-4 following a third-place finish behind Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Despite Daryz’s dominance, Jackson-Stops highlighted Scott’s confidence, stating that Bay City Roller is in excellent shape and primed to improve with the race experience.

In related news, Towcester Racecourse is set to resume racing on October 20, 2027, after its last meeting in May 2018. The Northamptonshire venue has secured a lease for six National Hunt fixtures in the upcoming season, marking its return to the racing calendar.