HOW good was A Plus Tard in winning the Paddy’s Chase at Leopardstown last Friday? That is not just a rhetorical question – for all that the obvious and instinctive reply is “very good indeed” – as it is not a straightforward race to unpick.

We do know that he ran a fast time – fully 6.1s (around 30 lengths) quicker than Melon managed in the preceding beginners chase – but if you make it very fast then it results in third-placed Ordinary World running the race of his life despite numerous tries previously.

In the end, I have settled for 162 on the winner (Ordinary World on 150), which has Chacun Pour Soi on 158. That is far from a disgrace for the latter, who can be left on 169 for beating Defi Du Seuil at Punchestown in May, given that this was his first outing since.

Melon remains on 141 but strictly ran to only about 121 on time here, and there are quite a few novice chasers ahead of him in the pecking order, for all that few can match his raw ability over hurdles at his best.

Only Envoi Allen has beaten Abacadabras over hurdles, and the latter looked a smart prospect again when winning the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.

Sectionals show that he was the only one really galloping at the end, and the sizeable margins were probably exaggerated somewhat. But he can be credited with a 148 figure again.

Amazement

Roaring Bull – otherwise known as ROARING BULL!!! – got up late and to the apparent amazement of commentator Gerry Hannon in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase: a slow-motion finish but still worth a 138 figure on the winner.

Fury Road remained unbeaten over hurdles in a Grade 2 at Limerick on the same day, if not by very much under a penalty from Well Set Up, Vis Ta Loi and Quartz Du Rheu.

This was Fury Road’s best effort on the clock yet – worth a figure of 138 – but quite a bit more is likely to be needed in a race like the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.