Manisanda

Manisanda ran well for a long way in the first division of the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle at Navan on Saturday. Settled towards the outside early on by Conor Orr, Lorna Fowler’s mare moved up threateningly around the outside as they raced around the home turn, and it looked like she was going to be a big player at that point. She came under a ride though as they landed over the third last flight in the front rank, and she started to fade from there. Even so, this was encouraging, her jumping was better than it had been on her hurdling bow at Thurles in November, and she should be able to build on this.

This was her first attempt at two and a half miles, and it looked like she just didn’t get home. It looks like she could improve for a drop back down to two miles. That said, it was her first run since November, and she wasn’t overly strong in the market, so it may just be that lack of a recent run took its toll in the closing stages of the race. There is lots of stamina in her pedigree, her dam won over two and a half miles and she is from the family of top staying hurdler Marello, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.
Navan, 22^nd January 2022