After picking up some black type last time out, promising juvenile Mia Mento is set for a step up in class with trainer Thomas Mullins excited for her future.
The filly, who joined the Phoenix Thoroughbreds roster after her impressive debut success, has shown plenty of promise this season and put a disappointing run at Leopardstown behind her to finish third in Listed company at Fairyhouse last time. Handily placed throughout the daughter of Casamento fought bravely late on to remain in the places behind a couple of very promising individuals.
“It was great run,” said Mullins looking back on that run, “she learned a lot from her first few starts and she learned more again. She was more professional at Fairyhouse and she is showing the experience is suiting her well. It was great to get the black type and she should be coming on all the time.”
Also adding he is “happy with her since the run” Mullins feels her performance was a truer reflection of her talent than her run at Leopardstown two starts ago when she finished off the board.
“The Leopardstown run was disappointing but I put a line through that on the day” explained the Goresbridge based trainer. “It just didn’t work out for her, they went slow early on and she was drawn on the outside. She couldn’t quicken with them when things got serious and I put it down to that. I think it flummoxed her.”
That assessment would seem to ring true given her run at Fairyhouse was more in tune with her previous efforts and it could transpire the result will prove to be useful form.
“She was able to get out and get into her rhythm early at Fairyhouse.” said Mullins. “She got the six furlongs well and they were two very good horses in front of her. The winner was rated 98 and the second was an impressive winner on debut and ran well again, coming home with a lot of speed. It looks as though the two in front for her were very good so, from that point of view, I think she is going well.”
Although we are coming to the end of the season there’s every chance we’ll see the two-year-old on track again with a possible step up in class now on the cards.
“She’s shown at home she could race again this year.” said a hopeful Mullins “She’s very well in herself and doesn’t seem to be training off. I’ll keep her in for a few weeks and monitor the situation and if we don’t get a run in the that time we’ll put her away for the winter. There’s a Group Three at Navan that’s around six furlongs that will suit her well and there’s a race in Dundalk four or five days later. We’ll keep those in our heads, while, there’s also the possibility of going to Newmarket.”
Even though Mia Mento could run again this year her handler is already contemplating a campaign for next season, when he expects her to really come into her own.
“I’m still very excited by her,” the trainer said. “she’s a big filly still only just growing into herself and strengthening up really. That’s what you want at this stage , so I would be optimistic she’ll have a good three-year-old career.”