Race Comment Explainer

Original comment with matches highlighted:

handy on inside, led 9th, headed 4 out, soon hard ridden, st 2 out, from last

Matched phrases & meanings

Phrase	Meaning
Hard ridden	The jockey was using maximum effort, including the whip, to make the horse go faster.
Outpaced	Could not keep up with faster horses mid-race.
Kept on	The horse maintained its speed well to the finish.
Handy	Running very near the leaders (usually 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).

Summary

The jockey was using maximum effort, including the whip, to make the horse go faster.
Could not keep up with faster horses mid-race.
The horse maintained its speed well to the finish.
Running very near the leaders (usually 2nd, 3rd, or 4th).