Race Comment Explainer

Original comment with matches highlighted:

close up, led approaching 2 out, soon cleared away, ridden out run-in,

Matched phrases & meanings

Phrase	Meaning
Ridden out	The jockey encouraged the horse to the finish without the whip, often in an easy win.
Close up	Running very near the leaders (usually 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).
readily	The horse won easily, without having to be pushed to its absolute limit, suggesting it had more to give.

Summary

The jockey encouraged the horse to the finish without the whip, often in an easy win.
Running very near the leaders (usually 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).
The horse won easily, without having to be pushed to its absolute limit, suggesting it had more to give.