'He's a magnificent specimen, a gorgeous horse' - Rahiebb looks good for Gold Cup bid

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Handsome is as handsome does. Racing is no beauty contest. But good looks do no harm and the striking Rahiebb earned another chance to show himself off on the biggest stage with an impressive comeback win.

Last year's Queen's Vase third is a best-priced 7-1 third favourite for the Gold Cup back at Royal Ascot after a ready success in the Boodles Yorkshire Cup on Friday.

Ahmed Al Maktoum's progressive but raw three-year-old has turned into a fine four-year-old in the months since he finished second in the St Leger last September, and had Roger Varian enthused with the way he achieved his success under Ray Dawson.

"That was lovely to watch," said the trainer. "He was very smooth. He's a lovely horse. 

"He was learning on the job all the time last year. He debuted at Newcastle in February and finished up in the Leger. He was such a baby, he was doing a lot of things wrong and still running well.

"He's really matured physically over the winter. You had only to look at him in the paddock. You wouldn't have to know anything about horses to know that he's a magnificent specimen, a gorgeous horse. Hopefully his best days are ahead of him because he's a classic, late-maturing, staying horse."

Longer distances await after this success over a mile and six furlongs at York, and Varian said: "We've got to think he's a Cup horse. It's a tough division but a fun division to be involved in. 

"He stays very well. He's a classy horse with stamina. I just hope he's maturing into himself mentally as well as physically."

Ray Dawson and Roger Varian talk after Rahiebb's win in the Yorkshire CupCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Dawson punched the air crossing the line and explained: "The connections have been good to me, Roger has been good to me.

"It's my first year riding as first jockey to Roger. We had a lot of hopes for the season for this lad and today was going to be a where-do-we-go-with-him moment. I knew turning in I was going well, I just didn't want to get there too early. He galloped out well.

"He's a beautiful animal. He's been very well trained by Roger and Tony Procter, who rides him out. I'm just the lucky man on board today."  

James Doyle was happy enough with runner-up Al Nayyir and said: "He had a good campaign in the Middle East and has come back as good as ever. 

"He's run some big races here as well; he was just touched off last year in the Lonsdale Cup. The owners are lucky to have him."

Epic Poet missed out on a second successive runner-up position in this race by just a neck, and trainer David O'Meara said: "It's another great run by him in the race.

"It looked to go really well for him, but late on they drifted over to the rail and he's not always the bravest. I've no complaints, though and I think he's back to his best."

Gold Cup (Royal Ascot, June 18)
bet365: 2 Scandinavia, 3 Trawlerman, 6 Rahiebb, 12 Caballo De Mar, Lambourn, 14 Illinois, Sweet William, 16 Jan Brueghel, 20 bar.

Read this next:

'He's still got his L-plates up' - baby steps for Portcullis, but another Royal Ascot hope shines on terrific day for the King and Queen 

Michael Buckley enjoys surprise 28-1 Flat success - and identifies the next possible start for Constitution Hill 

Derby dream alive for Andrew Balding after Item's Dante heroics - as he confirms Royal Ascot aim for another brilliant York winner 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.