Maude Adams

There was a lot to like about the performance that Maude Adams put up in winning a 10-furlong fillies’ handicap at Roscommon on Monday.

Racing over a mile and a quarter for the first time, she raced against the inside rail in the middle of the field and travelled comfortably into the home straight. She had to be strong and just force her way out coming to the final two furlongs as she was in danger of getting completely hemmed in, but from the time that she was in the clear and had the leaders in her sights, the result never really looked in doubt. She put her head in front a furlong out and stayed on well to record quite a cosy success in the end.

Kevin Prendergast’s filly seemed to appreciate the step up in trip and the strong gallop. The recorded time was remarkably good for the class and the distance, significantly faster comparatively than the 12-furlong races on the card and the two seven-furlong races. The gallop was strong throughout in Maude Adams’s race, and that was a factor in being able to run such a good time, but it also suggests that Maude Adams is capable of better than this. She had more in reserve than the winning margin. She will undoubtedly be raised by the handicapper for this, but she started the season on an 8lb higher mark, so she could have that in hand anyway, and she can improve again for this. She may stay further than this furlong trip, and a handicap mark in the 70s could still underestimate her by a little way.

3rd September 2012