By Tom Frary
Just 24 hours after Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) put his hat into the ring for Epsom, there was another to show potential in that regard in Bernard Kantor's Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Wednesday's G3 Centennial Celebration – MBNA Chester Vase S. Making many fans with his impressive five-length success in an 11-furlong Newbury maiden on his seasonal bow Apr. 21, the 10-3 second favourite was in an ideal position from the outset in fifth nestled against the rail by James Doyle. With the pace set by Ballydoyle's Flag of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) honest and true, the bay travelled strongly turning for home before being launched as a line of six challenged at the furlong marker. Muscling his way through despite showing understandable greenness, he gained the advantage over Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}) with 100 yards remaining and readily asserted for a half-length success, with three lengths back to the 3-1 market-leader Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in third. After coming out on top of a strong-looking trial, James Doyle was full of praise for the winner who is set to carry the colours of Investec's managing director in the June 2 Derby his firm sponsors. “He's very talented and showed a glimmer of that at Newbury, but he's a big unit with a big stride and was a little bit inexperienced and behind the bridle there,” he explained. “This is not an ideal track for a horse like him and he will have learnt loads today. He responded really well and the fact that he won quite dominantly at the line shows what ability he has got. The owner will be very keen to go for the Derby and it would be very hard to put him off.”
Young Rascal began his career with a respectable six-length second to stablemate and Listed Blue Riband Trial runner-up My Lord and Master (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) over an extended mile at Nottingham in November, but a winter's strengthening was always going to help and he looked a different proposition at Newbury, after which William Haggas described him as having been “gormless” at two. He certainly is not that now and enters the Derby fray a plausible candidate despite the ominous presence of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). His owner and trainer are set on being in opposition to that potential great on the first Saturday in June. Haggas explained that the Vase was picked to speed up his progress and maturity for the big date in mind. “That was why we came here, to get two races in one,” he said. “He did well to win, as a few things went against him. He's got a bit to offer. It's hard for a horse who has only run once at two, as they've got to learn quick. This is not a straightforward track, he's a green horse and he had plenty to overcome, so with that in mind he's doing well. The Derby favourite looks pretty impressive, but you should never be scared of one horse and we're entitled to run. It's nice for Bernard, he's a big supporter of the Derby and has always wanted a runner in it, so to now head there with hopefully half a chance is nice. Breakfast With The Stars is a possibility, but it might put him off–we considered it with [the stable's 1996 Derby winner] Shaamit, but didn't take him for that reason. My only concern would be if the ground got very quick, but Epsom do a very good job there now with the ground. It's about time I had another chance in the Derby. It's a long time since Shaamit, I haven't had many runners and Storm the Stars was third so we'll see on the day if this lad is fast enough.”
Interestingly, the form of Epsom's Blue Riband Trial was upheld by Dee Ex Bee while the G3 Sandown Classic Trial took a knock with its protagonists Hunting Horn and Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) slightly disappointing. Dee Ex Bee hails from the Mark Johnston stable and his son and assistant Charlie was non-committal about the runner-up re-opposing in the Derby. “We had a fair shot at the winner and I'd say he was best on the day, but this track doesn't play to our horse's strengths at all,” he explained. “He needs a more galloping track, as he's a big horse who takes a while to find his stride. The fact that he has run so well at Epsom and here, tracks which don't suit, bodes well for his future at places like Ascot. Whether he goes for the Derby may depend on how our other horse Mildenberger (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) goes in his trial.”
Like the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) another Arqana August yearling, Young Rascal is a son of the smart German MSW Rock My Soul who became the property of Elisabeth Fabre before finishing third in the 2011 G3 Prix Allez France for her husband Andre. Her half-sister Rock My Love (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) captured last year's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin and also the attention of George Strawbridge in the process and now races for Freddy Head. This is the family of the champions and sires Turfkonig (Ger) and Tertullus (Fr) and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio heroine Turfrose (Ger) (Big Shuffle). Rock My Soul has a 2-year-old filly by Motivator (GB) named Tilda (Ire) and a yearling colt by Camelot (GB).
Wednesday, Chester, Britain
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION – MBNA CHESTER VASE S.-G3, £100,000, CHE, 5-9, 3yo, c/g, 12f 63yT, 2:39.55, gd.
1–YOUNG RASCAL (FR), 126, c, 3, by Intello (Ger)
1st Dam: Rock My Soul (Ire) (MSW-Ger & GSP-Fr, $144,166), by Clodovil (Ire)
2nd Dam: Rondinay (Fr), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Topline (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€215,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Bernard Kantor; B-Ecurie Peregrine SAS (FR); T-William Haggas; J-James Doyle. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $91,672. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dee Ex Bee (GB), 126, c, 3, Farhh (GB)–Dubai Sunrise, by Seeking the Gold. O-Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Mark Johnston. £21,500.
3–Hunting Horn (Ire), 126, c, 3, Camelot (GB)">Camelot (GB)–Mora Bai (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £10,760.
Margins: HF, 3, HF. Odds: 3.30, 12.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Ispolini (GB), Flag of Honour (Ire), Proschema (Ire), Family Tree (GB), Perfect Illusion (GB), Miles Christianus (Ire), Jetstream (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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