Eva's Request

Eva's Request ran a really nice race in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday in a race that wasn't run to suit at all. She is a filly who is at her best when she is held up off a fast pace over a mile, but the pace that Johnny Murtagh dictated on Spacious simply wasn't fast enough for her. She did travel nicely in behind horses away from the favoured stands rail through the early stages, but she got caught a little flat-footed and got stuck for racing room in behind Lush Lashes when the sprint for home began at the two-furlong pole. She did stay on nicely then into third place, but she was never going to be able to catch the two Cheveley Park fillies, not coming from where she had to come from in amongst horses when the dash began.

Mick Channon's filly is a hugely improved individual this season. She was really impressive in landing a listed race at Goodwood at the beginning of May, then showed a fine turn of foot to land the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom's Derby meeting, when she had Spacious (who didn't handle the track) well back in third place. This was another big step forward from Eva's Request, and she proved that she belongs in this grade. She should be able to land a race of similar standing when she gets the fast pace that she needs.

17th June 2009

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