Race Comment Explainer

Original comment with matches highlighted:

raced keenly early, soon steadied last pair, never on terms after,

Matched phrases & meanings

Phrase	Meaning
never on terms	A clear statement that the horse was never competitive in the race.
tailed off	A definitive statement that the horse was finished and effectively out of the race
Keen	The horse was fighting the jockey, wasting energy early.

Summary

A clear statement that the horse was never competitive in the race.
A definitive statement that the horse was finished and effectively out of the race
The horse was fighting the jockey, wasting energy early.