Caballo De Mar upsets Scandinavia in Cadran clash

After surviving a lengthy stewards' enquiry, Caballo De Mar retained his Prix du Cadran crown, defeating red-hot favourite Scandinavia in a thrilling renewal of the Group 1 staying contest at ParisLongchamp.

>Caballo De Mar brought an end to Scandinavia’s eight-race winning run when repeating his win in the Qatar Prix du Cadran from 12 months ago in a thrilling finish at ParisLongchamp.

>George Scott's stayer was delivered by Oisin Murphy at the furlong marker to grab the lead from Scandinavia and the fading pacesetter Queenstown.

>As the pair locked horns through the final furlong, Scandinavia regained the lead only for Caballo De Mar to fight back in the shadow of the post to get up by a neck.

>Connections had to sweat through a stewards' inquiry after an objection by Ryan Moore, whose mount Scandinavia, the 1-6 favourite, appeared to receive a bump from the 9-2 winner close to the finish.

>Scandinavia's sequence had included five Group Ones, but Scott's charge is a formidable opponent at his best, particularly in Paris where he is now three from three in Group Ones.

>Scott said: "What an amazing performance from the horse and the team at home.

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>"I was very emotional afterwards - he's just such a special horse to us and to come and win the Cadran again is great.

>"He's an amazing horse and just a real character. He takes a lot of managing at home, he's very lazy and it's hard to get a grip on him."

>The Newmarket handler felt beforehand he had a chance of beating the red-hot favourite, adding: "We wanted to track Scandinavia and it all went to plan. We managed to get well up on him and then he fought back.

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>"I thought if there was an opportunity to beat him it was today because my horse loves it here, he was showing all the right signs and Scandinavia had a very hard race in Ireland last time. We felt we could beat him today, but you're not going to say something like that.

>"We'll see how he comes out of it, but he could go to Ascot on Champions Day."

>Aidan O'Brien said of Scandinavia: "He ran a great race and it's been a long season for him.

>"The ground was a little bit on the slower side for him. Ryan said he was coming back at him.

>"That will be him finished for the season. I was never going to go to Ascot as the ground would definitely be gone for him by then."