Hunaina

Hunaina put up a good performance to finish third in the juvenile fillies’ maiden at The Curragh last Sunday. Settled nicely by Shane Foley in mid-division out in the centre of the track, Michael Halford’s filly travelled well to the two-furlong pole. Moved towards the outside for a clear run at that point, and asked for her effort by Foley, she picked up nicely. It looked like she and Mur Hiba had it between them on the near side from that point, and she did get the better of Michael O’Callaghan’s filly on the run to the line, but the pair of them were beaten by the Ger Lyons-trained Velveteen, who finished off her race well on the far side.

Time may show that these three fillies are talented, the three of them had a nice break on their rivals, and Hunaina can probably be marked up most on the bare form of the run, given that she made her ground from further back than the two fillies with whom she fought out the finish.

Seventh in the maiden that subsequent Albany Stakes winner Brave Anna won at The Curragh on Guineas weekend, the Aga Khan’s filly stepped forward from that to finish a running-on second to another filly of Ger Lyons’, Noivado, at Fairyhouse a week before Sunday’s race. Sunday’s run was another step forward, and she should continue to progress now. Also, all her runs now have been over six furlongs so, out of a mare who won over a mile and from the family of Hazarista, she should improve now for stepping up to seven furlongs or even a mile. She certainly races like she will get further than six, and she will be of interest now wherever she goes next.

17^th July 2016