Maoineach

Maoineach performed with a great deal of credit in the circumstances in finishing third behind Lesson In Humility in the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown last Thursday evening. She was ridiculously weak in the market beforehand, drifting from 6/1 to 8/1 on the track, and available at a mind-boggling 16/1 on Betfair. On top of that, it didn't appear as if she was too happy about going into the stalls. Indeed, it appeared as if they were going to go on without her at one point. Despite that, once she was out the far side of the stalls and racing, she looked more than willing. She was drawn poorly in stall eight of the nine runners, which meant that, with the six furlong start so close to the bottom bend, she had to race three or four horse-widths wide all the way around the home turn. Once they straightened up, she ran on really well. She probably wouldn't have got to the winner however the race had panned out, but she only just failed to catch San Sicharia for second place, and that was a huge effort.

Maoineach was in danger of becoming disappointing this season on the back of two really disappointing runs at Group 3 level. However, both of those runs were on really soft ground, and it now seems like she really doesn't handle it. The six-furlong trip of the Ballyogan was at least a furlong short of her best, and it was notable that she was running on best of all at the end of the race. She is in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, and she would be interesting if trainer Jim Bolger allowed her take her chance in that. On breeding, she has every chance of getting a mile. However, the race for her now is the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse at the beginning of July. As long as the ground is good or better, she could take a lot of beating in that if she lines up in it.

4th June 2009

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