Noorban

Noorban did well to get as close as she did in the five-furlong fillies’ handicap at York on Wednesday. Drawn on the wing in stall two, lowest of all, Daniel Tudhope took her back early on in order that he could get her covered up through the first couple of furlongs, and she was just about last of the 13 runners on the far side after they had gone two furlongs. She travelled best of all to the two-furlong marker, and she picked up well when her rider asked her to, but a gap closed on her as they raced inside the final furlong, she had to switch, and that just checked her momentum on the far side as the race developed on the near side. She kept on well through the final 100 yards though when she got the gap and, while it never looked like she was going to get to the winner Tweet Tweet, who went fast from early down the near side, she went to the line strongly, finishing third, beaten just a length and a half.

This was a race that did not pan out well for Noorban. It developed towards the near side, and the pace held up well. The winner made just about all the running, the runner-up was handy from early, and the first, second and fourth all raced towards the near side. Noorban did well to get as close as she got, racing towards the far side and from the rear, especially given that she was checked in her run late on. David O’Meara’s filly is not especially lightly-raced, but she is only three and she has a nice progressive profile. She goes well at York and on fast ground, and she could do even better now if and when she steps back up to six furlongs.
York, 18^th August 2021