Chachamaidee

Chachamaidee ran a remarkable race to finish second to Field Day in a one-mile listed event at Ascot on Friday. The Henry Cecil-trained filly completely missed the break, and she had to be rushed up into a steady pace by Tom Queally. She raced freely on the outside, she couldn't get cover, and was three wide, widest of all around the home turn. After all of that, you would have expected her to wilt and finish closer to last than first, but she kept on remarkably well out in the middle of the track, which wasn’t necessarily a disadvantage on the day (the going stick suggested that the middle of the track was faster than either rail) to finish second behind the really exciting Field Day with smart fillies like Alsace Lorraine and the hitherto unbeaten I'm A Dreamer behind.

Chachamaidee was carrying a 4lb penalty here for winning a listed race at York in May, a race that hasn't worked out too well, with all three fillies who chased her home and who have raced since all getting well beaten. The daughter of Footstepsinthesand herself was well beaten on her only run in the interim, but that was in the Coronation Stakes, when she was drawn out wide and was rushed up early, so you can forgive her that easily enough. There is a chance that the form of this race may be a little suspect, given how slowly they went early on - the pace certainly didn't suit favourite Alsace Lorraine – but the winner was really impressive on the day and there was still a lot to like about Chachamaidee's performance. She was a smart juvenile, she was third in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, and she will be of interest now wherever she goes next.

23rd July 2010

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