Race Comment Explainer

Original comment with matches highlighted:

held up in t on, pushed along over 1f out, nish, n and went third near finish,

Matched phrases & meanings

Phrase	Meaning
Pushed along	The jockey started to urge the horse (hand-riding, not necessarily using the whip).
Never nearer	The horse's closest point to the leader was the position it finished in (ran on late).
Kept on	The horse maintained its speed well to the finish.
Held up	Intentionally raced patiently at the back to save energy.
Rear	Running near the back of the field.

Summary

The jockey started to urge the horse (hand-riding, not necessarily using the whip).
The horse's closest point to the leader was the position it finished in (ran on late).
The horse maintained its speed well to the finish.
Intentionally raced patiently at the back to save energy.
Running near the back of the field.