Raasel ready to take Group One plunge in Nunthorpe

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.

Raasel wins the Coral Charge!

This remarkable improver has now landed 8 of his last 10 starts and is now a Group 3 winner for @MickApplebyUK and @Horsewatchers1 👏 @the_doyler | @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/NehG6OYR4S

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 2, 2022

“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.