Ken Casellas | Photo: Gloucester Park Harness Racing
Rascal is a West Australian-bred four-year-old pacer blessed with considerable ability. But he has proved a major headache throughout his career for Byford trainer Katja Warwick who bred and races the gelding with Tom Erceg.
Rascal refuses to pace smoothly and his habit of hanging in badly has driven Warwick to her wit’s end, trying, unsuccessfully, to correct his serious fault of hanging, so much so that the gelding has to be driven on one rein to prevent him from veering in and encroaching inside the pegs or hanging inwards and causing interference to runners on his inside.
Warwick has experimented with a variety of bits, without success, and she has also failed to cure the gelding’s hanging problem with several gearing apparatus, including the use of a lugging pole.
“We have tried everything, but to no avail,” said Warwick. “That’s just him; he hangs in all the time. However, he’s got speed and strength.” It is his natural ability that has enabled him to race 19 times for nine wins, six placings and $66,218 in prizemoney.
Rascal is by American stallion Captaintreacherous and is the first foal out of the Rich And Spoilt mare Straittothehilton, who was part-owned and trained by Warwick for his 68-start career of ten wins, 22 placings and $157,415. Her biggest success was in the Group 1 Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies in June 2014.