Never able to challenge

[Trotter]

Just looking at 'Divine Force' in the 3.30 at Wolves tomorrow and the race comment for it's last run says 'progress and not clear run 1f out, went 3rd inside final furlong, never able to challenge' It finished 3rd.........and the first four home were seperated by just over a length, ............4 horses within a length sounds like a bunch finish to me............ I just wonder what they mean by 'never able to challenge'..........it's not as though he was 3rd but beaten 6 lengths ! Surely he must have been 'challenging' to finish less than a length behind the winner !

[TheRat]

Re: Never able to challenge I would assume it means because it wasn't given a clear run it was not given a fair chance of winning, although must have finished well