RACING scribes sometimes use the term “follow until beaten” in their summaries of runners  – archaic but applicable to Australian-bred Rafeef, who keeps getting better and looks like he will take power of beating again next time out.

Rafeef (Randall Simons) stepped out of the sprints and into a tough 1400m Handicap on New Year’s Eve and did it in the style of the good sort he is, running on strongly from a wide draw, and from off the call, to beat the useful handicapper Irish Pride going away.

Rafeef won with a bit in hand.

“He’s been rated to win and we don’t want to get carried away too soon, but Rafeef has stepped up to tougher every time. He is a smart horse and we’ll be pointing him next at the Listed Wolf Power Handicap over 1600m early in February,” said Mathew de Kock, who was excited about Rafeef’s prospects before this win and will fancy the colt’s chances in his first feature race.

Rafeef is by Redoute’s Choice from former South African sprint star, National Colour, and races for Sheikh Hamdan of Dubai.