The most concerning detail is the timing of that last win. Rascal last visited the winner's circle on September 11 last year at Chelmsford — over a year ago. Since then, it has raced six more times without a top-three finish, finishing 4th, 8th, 8th, 10th, 16th, and 4th most recently. That is a dry spell, and it raises a fair question about whether the horse still has a win in it at this level. At Class 4, its usual home, it has managed just one win from eight races, a 12% win rate that sits well below what you would normally expect from a winning horse at that grade.
Benoit De La Sayette has ridden Rascal five times, winning once — a 20% record that is slightly better than the horse's overall form. Michael Appleby's Oakham yard is prolific this season with 71 winners to its name, so the training appears sound. But Rascal remains a mid-field operator without the consistency needed to climb higher, and that 13-month gap since its last win is the real story here. Yesterday's race was its latest chance to return to the winner's enclosure, and it fell short again.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chelmsford | 3 | 1 win, 1 second, 1 other | 9 Oct | 33.3% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 5 Jun | 0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 14 Jul | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 win | 2 Feb | 100% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
1 | 1 win | 27 Jun | 100% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 3 Oct | 0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 22 Jun | 0% |
| Leicester Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 13 Oct | 0% |
| Windsor Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 15 Aug | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 10 Sep | 0% |
| Chester Tight |
1 | 1 other | 12 Sep | 0% |
| Sandown Park Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 20 Aug | 0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 8 Aug | 0% |
| York Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 23 May | 0% |