THE best timefigure on the flat in Ireland and Britain in the period under review came at Ascot, where Blue Point ran notably fast for the first three-quarters of the Bengough Stakes if slightly less fast thereafter, still recording a 118 figure as Projection (113) closed to just a half-length down by the line.

Blue Point would be close to champion three-year-old sprinter in an ordinary year, but this no ordinary year, and he comes some way behind Battaash (130 timefigure in Britain), Harry Angel (127) and Lady Aurelia (126). He is worth a try at the minimum trip given the raw speed he shows against even very fast rivals.

The other Group 3 on the Ascot card, the Cumberland Lodge Stakes, was a highly tactical affair in which pace-setting Danehill Kodiac got the run of things much more than the patiently-ridden Waldgeist.

Both colts got 75 timefigures from Timeform, though this was the only race which started on the usually slower round course and that may exaggerate things somewhat.

Timeform does not produce timefigures for Navan, but by my reckoning the trio of listed races there were worth: 112 (Texas Rock), 97 (Gobi Desert) and 95 (Bye Bye Baby).

There was little between the times of the four races at seven furlongs at Dundalk on Friday evening, meaning that the listed contest won by Riyazan earns a timefigure of just 88, though the finish was fairly fast.