Aibell
Aibell did well to win the 10f apprentices' handicap, coming from the rear in a race in which it was probably an advantage to race prominently.
Slowly away from her outside draw, stall 15 of 15, she was taken back early on by Alan Persse as the runners sorted themselves out. Second last of the 15 runners after they had gone 1f, she was keener than ideal down the back straight, held up towards the outside. Four wide around the top turn and into the home straight, she travelled well to the 3f marker and she picked up nicely 2f out. She moved up well to join the leaders just inside the 1f marker, and she stayed on strongly to just get the better of Wavepoint, with the pair of them coming nicely clear.
It was a good performance from Joseph O'Brien's filly, conceding 7lb (not allowing for her rider's claim) to the runner-up, and conceding weight to 13 of her 14 rivals. Also, she came from the rear in a race in which they didn't appear to go a great gallop, and in which the prominent racers were consequently probably favoured. The three horses who chased her home had all raced prominently, and eight of the first nine home raced in mid-division or better from early. Aibell was the only one of the first nine home who raced in rear early on.
Rated 73 on all-weather after four runs last winter, she returned from a short break at the Galway Festival in August and, after a disappointing run at Killarney in the interim, this was a nice step forward. The handicapper raised her by 5lb to a turf mark of 70, but that is a mark that could still under-rate her. She should still be worth following. She is only three and this was just her third run on turf.
Navan, 8th September 2018
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