Rahiebb lined up for Sagaro Stakes as bid for Gold Cup glory begins
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 3 Apr 2026
The Sagaro Stakes could provide the ideal dress rehearsal for Rahiebb to put his Gold Cup aspirations to the test as Roger Varian begins to dream of Royal Ascot glory with his St Leger runner-up.
Only a neck away from giving the Carlburg Stables handler a third victory in the world’s oldest Classic last autumn, the son of Frankel is showing encouraging signs at the beginning of the new campaign, which combined with his fine body of three-year-old form is giving his trainer every right to formulate lofty ambitions.
Varian said: “I think we’d be right to dream of Gold Cups and those big staying races and his run in the St Leger was his standout piece of form, but I’d also look back to some of his other runs as well with real encouragement.
“He was a very close third in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and did a lot of things wrong that day, he was still a real baby, and before that he gave Merchant 8lb in a handicap at York when beaten only a couple of lengths.
“So I don’t think it is just the St Leger that gives us hope he could be top drawer and I think he was largely a good progressive three-year-old who on looks and how he is training so far, is just telling us he will be better at four.
“You would think that anyway as he is just more than anything a late-maturing horse who is a lovely staying prospect and we’re entitled to be thinking of a ‘cup’ programme for him, albeit he still has to go out there and do it.”
Still being fully primed in Newmarket with the opening throes of summer about to begin, Varian is eyeing an early Ascot reconnaissance mission on May 1 for Rahiebb, with a multitude of options also sitting in reserve in case of a shift in plans.
Varian added: “I don’t think he would be ready before the Sagaro Stakes so that would be the first race on our minds.
“If for some reason that doesn’t work then there is plenty of options after throughout the month of May. You’ve the Ormonde Stakes, Yorkshire Cup and the Henry II at Sandown, there’s plenty of other options, but the Sagaro would be the first point and I have no aspirations to run him before then.”
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