Whatcouldhavebeen

Whatcouldhavebeen ran out a game winner of the two-and-a-quarter-mile mares’ maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Settled just a little better than mid-division early on by Aidan Kelly behind a decent pace that favourite Feddans set, she was seventh of the leading group of seven as they jumped the third last flight. She made nice progress in behind the leaders as they raced to the home turn and, while she wasn’t obviously travelling best of all at that point, she kept going forward as her rider asked her. A mistake at the second last flight didn’t help but, given a couple of strides to recover her equilibrium, she picked up nicely on the run to the final flight. She jumped that obstacle much better, and she stayed on strongly up the run-in to get the better of Feddans and win, going away, by just over a length, with the pair of them nicely clear of A Law Of Her Own.

It was a nice performance by Jarlath Fahey’s mare. This was a decent mares’ maiden hurdle, the second and third were both bumper winners and the fourth, Splashing Out, had finished second to dual Grade 1 runner-up Irish Point in her maiden hurdle, and the first four were clear of another bumper winner. Whatcouldhavebeen was progressive on the flat during the latter part of last season, she won a 12-furlong handicap at Galway on heavy ground in October off a mark of 64 on her latest run on the flat. Now rated 72 on the flat, she got stronger here as the race developed, she could be even better when she steps up in trip. She is only five and this was just her third run over hurdles, so she has the potential to continue her progression now over hurdles.
Fairyhouse, 14^th January 2023