Dr Rascal makes it day to remember for Fraser in Coral Vintage Stakes

2.25pm Coral Vintage Stakes (Group 2)

Kaiya Fraser celebrated his first Group-race success following an audacious ride on Dr Rascal (13/2) in the G2 Coral Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs.

Fraser spied the brave man’s route along the rail approaching the final furlong and, despite briefly losing some momentum, the Sottsass colt found plenty to hold off Haffner (4/1) by half a length and make it three wins from as many starts. The 5/4 favourite Al Hudaiba was a short-head further back in third.

It was also a first Group-race victory in his own right for trainer Oliver Cole, 20 years after his father Paul trained the last of his three winners of the Vintage Stakes.

Fraser said: “First of all, I want to thank the owners [Charlie Rosier and Julia Rosier] for putting me on and trusting me. I am very happy to get the job done for them.

“This means everything. This is what we wake up for every morning. I have put so much hard work in to get where I am today. I am grateful to all the people around me who have helped me, including my agent James Forrest, and all the owners and trainers who put me up. I would not be here if it was not for them.

“You saw today that Dr Rascal had to get a push into the stalls because he obviously had that experience last time out [at Ascot]. I was travelling along with the Amo horse [Pikachu] and the gap was just wide enough for me to go through. I knew how much horse I had underneath me after riding him the previous two times, and he was brave enough to go and do what I asked him to do.

“I am delighted, first Group winner – in a Group 2 on a very nice two-year-old. Dr Rascal is obviously quick enough as a two-year-old, but in time you would think he might stay a trip. He is by Sottsass, so we are looking forward to what the future holds for him.”

Cole said: “I was always quietly confident. I was not very nervous before the race, which was quite a good thing because I have a lot of faith in this horse. It was almost another unlucky run after Dr Rascal got loose before Ascot, whereas today he almost got mullered up the straight, but has still won.

“He is a very good horse. We will probably look to the Dewhurst or something like that; he has so much class and so much speed, and he is very well bred. We are very lucky to have him in our stable.

"In my first complete year as a trainer, this means a lot. It is not just me; there is a big group at home who work so hard, and I am very proud of all of them."

Charlie Appleby said of Al Hudaiba: “There are a couple of things really that I think are positive going forward. Will [Buick] did say at Newmarket that he felt the ground was quick enough, and he said coming down the hill here that he could feel it.

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