Kaiya Fraser delivered a standout performance in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday, guiding Dr Rascal to a decisive victory in his first-ever Group race appearance. The 23-year-old jockey, riding the 13-2 outsider trained by Oli Cole, demonstrated considerable composure and tactical awareness to secure a half-length win over Ryan Moore aboard Haffner.

Fraser positioned Dr Rascal just behind the front-runner, Pikachu, before making a bold inside move in the final furlongs. He skillfully navigated a narrow gap, managing a tight passage to surge ahead and maintain his unbeaten record on the colt. The victory marked Fraser’s first at Group level and came despite a setback experienced during their previous meeting at Ascot, where Fraser was thrown from the saddle after being bitten by another horse but Dr Rascal still managed to win.

“I’m delighted, it’s my first Group winner, in a big race here on a very nice two-year-old, which is very special,” Fraser said following the race. “I was travelling all over the back of the Amo [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. I knew he was brave after what happened at Ascot, and he put it to bed really well.”

Trainer Oli Cole, who assumed the training license from his father Paul Cole last year, expressed optimism about Dr Rascal’s future prospects. The colt’s strong performance at Goodwood was seen as a significant milestone for the stable, which has a longstanding history of preparing high-caliber racehorses but had not recently produced a horse of similar potential.

Cole reflected on the colt’s resilience, noting, “He was unlucky at Ascot even though he won, because Kaiya got bit and the horse ran loose. He nearly got mullered coming up there in the straight and he’s still won.”

Looking ahead, the trainer indicated that plans might include targeting prestigious juvenile races such as the Dewhurst Stakes. “He’s got so much class and so much speed, we’re very lucky to have him,” Cole added.

Dr Rascal’s performance at Goodwood underscores both the young jockey’s emerging talent and the stable’s ambition to compete at the highest levels of British flat racing this season.