Lady Mega

While Sir Maximilian was impressive in winning the Rockingham Handicap at The Curragh on Sunday, Lady Mega put up an eye-catching performance in finishing fourth.

Held up out the back of the field by Robbie Downey through the early stages of the race, Eddie Lynam's filly was short of room at the two-furlong pole when her rider appeared to want to go forward. It wasn't until she reached the furlong pole that she switched back inside to go through the gap that had appeared between Shipyard and Master Speaker, and at that point she had around four lengths to make up on the leader Caspian Prince, who had set sail for home, with Sir Maximilian in pursuit. It never looked like Lady Mega was going to catch the leaders, but she kept on well all the way to the line, and she would probably have got a fair bit closer had she been able to chart a clear passage.

This was a race in which it was an advantage to race handily, with the first three home all racing up with the early pace. The leaders just did not come back, so Lady Mega probably did well to get as close as she did. Also, it was a strong sprint handicap, as the Rockingham usually is, and it was run in a really good time, by far the fastest time on a good day's racing, well under standard and the only time on the day that did dip under standard.

It is not easy for three-year-olds against their elders in sprint handicaps - they only receive 3lb over five furlongs at this time of year - and it is even more difficult for three-year-old fillies. Nevertheless, the daughter of Kodiac proved here once again that she was well able for the hurly-burly of a big-field all-aged handicap. Winner of a lower-grade handicap over Sunday's course and distance in early May, she was well backed on Sunday morning for the Rockingham, she was obviously well-fancied, and she ran accordingly. This was just her seventh ever race, so she still has bags of scope to progress as a sprinter. It will be interesting to see what the handicapper does with her now, he shouldn't be too harsh given that she only finished fourth, and there could be a big sprint handicap in her. She is trained by a top trainer of sprinters, she will be of interest wherever she goes next, and she could do even better stepped back up to six furlongs.

20th July 2014

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