SATURDAY’S big meeting at Newbury provided some intriguing timing information, as it relates to the past, the present and, one imagines, the future.

First off, Belardo’s win in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes vindicated sectional analysis of the colt’s defeat at Sandown the time before, when he had been set far too much to do. This column pointed out that sectional upgrading - which is becoming increasingly widely accepted - rated Belardo a two-length to three-length better horse than the Sandown winner, Toormore.

Toormore was in the field again at Newbury but could finish only fifth as Belardo got there in good time on this occasion to defeat Euro Charline by a length.

However, the overall time of the Lockinge was only a little quicker than that recorded by the useful handicapper Azraaf later on the card, with the two races being run in similar fashions. Belardo is a 120s performer at his best, but, for whatever reason, this was just a 107 overall time performance on the day.

The six-furlong listed event on Newbury’s card prompted much speculation as to whether the wide-margin winner Log Out Island had suddenly turned into a leading sprinter or been flattered by the run of the race.

Timing analysis suggests it was a bit of both.

Log Out Island’s overall time was a good one, worth a timefigure of 119 that only a good sprinter should be able to achieve. But he was allowed to build up a lead of around 10 lengths despite sectionals showing that he was racing efficiently rather than going too fast.

The place for his rivals to have been was a length or two behind him, not several times that.

In that context, the effort of runner-up Remarkable was pretty, erm, remarkable, as he bore down on Log Out Island late on but was still more than three lengths in arrears at the line.

Remarkable’s time for the last four furlongs was under 46.0s, and he is fancied to win a group race, never mind a listed race like this, in the coming months.

Log Out Island’s overall time was nearly two seconds quicker than Mehmas’ in winning the opening Conditions Stakes, though the latter’s 99 timefigure still puts him high up in the juvenile pecking order.

Global Applause was a disappointing runner-up but shaped so well on his debut that he should be given another chance, possibly back at the minimum trip.