OTI is delighted to have acquired a 50% interest in top British stayer, Young Rascal.
A three-time Group 3 winner in the United Kingdom under William Haggas, Young Rascal boasts a rating of 115, placing him in the top 5% of stayers in Europe. Accordingly, he will be targeted towards the Caulfield & Melbourne Cups in the spring.
Ballarat trainer, Archie Alexander, has been selected to train Young Rascal and spoke with RSN’s Matt Stewart on his most-recent stable addition.
Archie Alexander believes he is entitled to dream with his significant stable addition, former English stayer Young Rascal.
Young Rascal is a $26 chance in markets for a Melbourne Cup that Alexander believes is unlikely to feature international competition. “I see it this way, we have a stayer about to come into the stable who in a normal year might be a middle of the road type Melbourne Cup horse,” Alexander said.
“But I can’t see how the Europeans will be coming this year. Given how grave things are over there now it seems impossible that anyone would be thinking about taking horses and companions across the other side of the world.”
“So, while we might be dreaming, we think we have a horse that might win us a Melbourne Cup. Take out the Europeans, who won’t be here, and he’s a leading chance.”
Young Rascal was one of two William Haggas-trained stayers to compete during the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Addeybb was the star of the show, winning the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Young Rascal won the Manion Cup before a fading seventh as favourite in the Sydney Cup.
Very excited to have Young Rascal joining the team. We’ll have some big targets lined up for him in the spring. Big thanks to @OTIRacing and Mr Kantor for their support. https://t.co/eijWGkEiws
— Archie Alexander (@archi3alexander) April 19, 2020
Addeybb will return to Europe but Young Rascal will remain here and join Alexander at Ballarat after Terry Henderson’s OTI syndicate purchased a significant interest in the horse. Original owner, Investec founder Bernard Kantor, retains 50 per cent. Investec is the sponsor of the English Derby.
Henderson said he was excited Alexander had the opportunity to plot a Melbourne Cup course with a “very serious horse.” “Forget the Sydney Cup, he just didn’t go at all in the mud. He’ll run two miles,” Henderson said.
Alexander said Young Rascal will arrive in his stables after a five-week spell in NSW.
“Because of the Coronavirus rules, I haven’t actually seen the horse in the flesh. I’ve been cyber-stalking him a bit and he does look a bit like (his former stayer) Lord Fandango. Hopefully he’s a horse we can compete in the Melbourne Cup for the next two or three seasons.”
Alexander said Young Rascal would probably have a European-type campaign of just two or three races before the Cup.
(Credit: Matt Stewart – RSN)
