Race Comment Explainer

Original comment with matches highlighted:

held up, pushed along and distant 3f out, in distant 3rd

Matched phrases & meanings

Phrase	Meaning
Pushed along	The jockey started to urge the horse (hand-riding, not necessarily using the whip).
Plugged on	Kept going without showing much pace.
Outpaced	Could not keep up with faster horses mid-race.
Held up	Intentionally raced patiently at the back to save energy.

Summary

The jockey started to urge the horse (hand-riding, not necessarily using the whip).
Kept going without showing much pace.
Could not keep up with faster horses mid-race.
Intentionally raced patiently at the back to save energy.