Raasel ready to take Group One plunge in Nunthorpe

Five-year-old has shown he can mix it outside of handicap company.

Raasel will continue his rise to the top by running in his first Group One at York on Friday, in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

A revelation since he joined Mick Appleby, from September last year his mark has risen from 73 to 109.

Having won a Group Three at Sandown on his penultimate outing, the five-year-old was narrowly denied in the Group Two King George at Goodwood by Khaadem.

“I suppose we sort of thought it was a missed opportunity and whenever a horse is beaten you ask why,” said Chris Dixon, who owns Raasel as part of The Horse Watchers.

“Maybe if the ground hadn’t have been watered as he lost his footing a little, things like that, but at the end of the day it was probably a career-best in the best race that he’d been in and he wasn’t beaten far.

“I wouldn’t want to make excuses, he was just beaten by a better horse on that day under those conditions – Khaadem didn’t beat us in a manner that we wouldn’t want another crack at him.

“It dropped our way at Sandown but it didn’t drop out way at Goodwood, on another day it might have.

“It showed again there’s little between the top handicappers and the Group-class sprinters. The handicappers who travel strongly seem able to make the jump, I think it’s less likely to happen with a sprinter who finds plenty for pressure.

“We’ll soon find out if there’s a big bridge between the Group One sprinters and the rest, he’s certainly earned his place at that level.”

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