IT’S unusual to see a winner taking home more than €100,000 in prize money on a Monday afternoon at Naas, but the Ballyhane Stakes provided us with a particularly competitive contest for us to enjoy, as we wound down from the excitement of Goodwood last week, writes Page Fuller.

However, it was the horse that finished second that I thought was particularly eye-catching. Well, placed second, I should say. He was third across the line but handed second place in the stewards’ room…

Summer Is Tomorrow was dropped back to six furlongs for this race, having shed his maiden tag on his previous start over seven.

He was slow out of the stalls, taking 2.95 seconds to reach 20mph, which ranked the 13th fastest of the field. The winner, in contrast, was the quickest. He took a while to get into stride as well.

Where the winner, Howd’yadoit, clocked two sub-11 second furlongs through furlongs two and three, Summer Is Tomorrow could only get the momentum up to clock his two sub-11 second furlongs through furlongs three and four. Unfortunately, that was the point the race was lost.

He did his best to claw back the deficit, and was the fastest horse through the final two furlongs. But unfortunately, it was too little, too late. He looks like he is learning from each start, and the way he hit the line illustrates how much better he will be suited over his winning distance of seven furlongs.

He may not be a world beater, but he hasn’t been tried in handicaps yet, and his mark looks well within him. Especially back up in trip again.