Young Rascal disappoints with Sydney Cup seventh

Haggas runner out of the frame at Randwick.

Young Rascal failed to fire as he finished out of the places on his first try over two miles at Randwick on Saturday.

The William Haggas-trained five-year-old won a Group Three over 12 furlongs on his Australian bow last month and was well fancied switching up to Group One level in the Schweppes Sydney Cup.

Partnered by Tom Marquand, Young Rascal tracked the early leaders and was pushed to the front with a couple of furlongs to run.

However, Marquand was working hard and the Intello gelding could not find much of a response, dropping away inside the final furlong to finish seventh.

Etah James, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, grabbed the glory under Glen Boss.

Haggas felt Young Rascal may not have stayed two miles on soft ground, although Marquand was not totally happy with his mount.

The trainer said: “Young Rascal was a bit disappointing. Tom wasn’t happy with his movement and he couldn’t get him to switch his leads in the race.

“It looked for all the world that he didn’t stay the trip and I think that’s possible in that ground, as it was fairly testing.

“I’d like to give him another chance, but he was a bit disappointing.”

Haggas did strike gold with Addeybb on the same card and while that runner is set to return to Europe, Young Rascal could now stay in Australia.

He added: “I think he’s going to stay, but there’s quite a lot of things to sort out over the next few days and we’re not quite sure how Harry (Eustace, assistant trainer) is going to get home (due to the coronavirus pandemic).

“He’s going to go for a spell now and could go to another trainer.”

Con Te Partiro, a Royal Ascot winner for Wesley Ward back in 2017, completed a high-profile double in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes.

Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Con Te Partiro won the Coolmore Classic last month and despite finishing out of the places in last week’s Doncaster Mile, she bounced back with another Group One win over Funstar.

Boss took the other Group One event on the card,the Star Australian Oaks, with the James Cummings-trained Colette.

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