Young Rascal

Young Rascal was impressive in winning the Chester Vase.  He wasn’t that quickly away and James Doyle had to settle him back in fifth place, behind his two market rivals Hunting Horn and Ispolini, and that wasn’t ideal.  He tried to take closer order as they started to run around the home turn, but you can’t really make ground around that turn, so his rider had to wait.  Still only fifth as they straightened up for home, he switched widest of all in order to deliver his challenge.  As he did, Dee Ex Bee arrived up on his outside and almost hemmed him in, but he was brave and he had enough energy in reserve to hold his position.  Once he did, and once he got balanced and running on, he stayed on really strongly and in the end, James Doyle was able to ease down and get home by a cosy half-length.

It was an impressive performance by William Haggas’ horse, and the form is solid, with the Sandown Classic Trial second and third, Hunting Horn and Ispolini, finishing third and fourth.  He had been impressive too in winning an 11-furlong maiden at Newbury on his debut this season.  He was a little green through the early stages of that race, but he stayed on strongly and powered home by five lengths from his closest pursuer, and that race had already worked out well.

This was another significant step forward from the son of Intello, racing at a track that is very different to Newbury, where he won his maiden.  But he handled it well, he overcame minor adversity and he won well.   This was just his third run too, he can probably improve for this run and for the experience, and he deserves his place in the Derby picture. He is owned by a co-founder of Investec, sponsors of the Derby, so it would be surprising if the Derby was not his primary objective now.

Chester, 9^th May 2018