Albaqaa

Albaqaa raced too freely through the early stages of a Class 2 10-furlong handicap at Pontefract on Tuesday. Fast out of the gate, Paul Hanagan could never get cover for the son of Medicean, and he raced with the choke out the whole way down the back straight on the outside. Three wide into the home straight and forced even wider, he didn't quicken when his jockey asked him two furlongs out, and he had no answer to the finishing rush of Ladies Best, who sat in behind the leaders throughout and got a dream run up the far rail, but he still kept on really well all the way to the line to just miss out on second place. Winner of a decent handicap at Chester on his penultimate start last season, it would not be surprising if trainer Richard Fahey had Chester's May meeting in mind for this fellow. He handles soft ground and fast ground, and he should be worth a second look if he shows up at the Roodee in four weeks' time.

7th April 2009

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