FAIR play to Ross Coakley, not just for bouncing back from his horror fall at Ballinrobe just a month ago, but for giving Elusive Time the ride that he gave him to win the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh on Sunday.

Elusive Time may have been the best horse in the race on the day at the weights anyway, but he may not have been, and the ride that Coakley gave him maximised his chance of winning. Drawn 27 of 27, Coakley bided his time on Takashi Kodama’s horse, took him towards the near side, onto what was probably the best of the ground, and asked him for his effort.

When he did, the Elusive City gelding ran on strongly and won going away by two lengths. It was a fine performance by the horse, but it was at least as good a performance by his rider.

Coakley reportedly lost consciousness for 30 seconds in that Ballinrobe fall at the end of July, and his right eye looked bad, but the accident obviously hasn’t affected his confidence or his ability an iota.

He went to Tipperary on Thursday too for one ride, Cracking Name for Paul Deegan in the seven-furlong apprentices’ handicap, and he duly kicked her out of the gate and made all. He is riding on a confidence crest, and his 3lb claim can make a difference in these big handicaps.

IT’S great to read about these horses, Sizing John and Apple’s Jade and Cue Card and Our Duke and Thistlecrack, all on song, all getting ready for their return.

It’s a continuum, this racing game. When flat and National Hunt overlap.