Nouriya

The Michael Stoute-trained Nouriya ran a nice race on her racecourse debut in a hot maiden over a mile at Lingfield on Friday. Settled in at rear by Ryan Moore from her draw widest of all, in stall 12 of 12, she was third last when they began the turn for home, but she made nice progress all the way up the home straight under just a hands and heels ride to finish fourth. She might even have been second had she not been squeezed out of it by the second and third, Shimmering Surf and Gertrude Bell, well inside the final furlong, but Moore didn’t seem to be too perturbed. This run was all about the future.

This was a good maiden, with much more potential about than is befitting a Class 4 maiden at Lingfield. The winner, Timepiece, a half-sister to Father Time and Passage Of Time, and the third, Gertrude Bell, had finished second and third behind Golden Aria in a good maiden at Newmarket on their previous runs, a maiden that Timepiece’s trainer, Henry Cecil, had won with Light Shift and Midday in the past, while Shimmering Surf had stayed on well in a maiden at Lingfield on her only previous start, and the first four finished clear of the remainder. Nouriya for her own part is a well-bred daughter of Danehill Dancer, bred for middle distances, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if she were to win a soft-ground maiden over a mile or more before the season is out before going on to much better things next season.

9th October 2009