THERE were just two jumps meetings in Ireland in the period under review, with Storm Ciara claiming Punchestown not once but twice.

By some way the most impressive winner was Entoucas at Naas on Saturday. The six-year-old covered the shortened two miles in a time 6.0s and 9.8s quicker than Aramax in the juvenile and Muhaafiz in the handicap respectively, and managed to run the last three furlongs quicker than that pair for good measure.

A 138 sectional rating on Entoucas (131 on runner-up Fakiera) could prove conservative, and he is just the sort for a good handicap in Ireland or Britain hereafter. His defeats by Mt Leinster and Thatsy previously are possibly better than appreciated at the time, also.

Cut The Mustard’s win on the same card is a bit more difficult to weigh up from a timing point of view as it was one of only two chases and the only one at the minimum trip. Nonetheless, finishing speeds imply that it was well-run, and the mare gets a 133 figure from me.

Noteworthy

Dundalk survived on Friday evening, however, and as a result we saw a noteworthy performance from San Andreas in the concluding mile handicap, which he won by six and a half lengths in a time worth a 104 timefigure. That is listed calibre, though one imagines the four-year-old gelding will be asked to follow-up in another handicap first.

There have already been a few big wins in the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, but perhaps the most significant of all came last week from Benbatl in a Group 2. The six-year-old has run faster, and against better opposition, but his 115 timefigure came with ease and on his first attempt on dirt.

He is capable of at least 124 on the lower flat scale, and that should put him in with a major chance in the nine-furlong Saudi Cup, the 10-furlong Dubai World Cup, or both.

The Kentucky Derby in May seems a long way off with snow falling outside as I write, but some of the early moves are being made among the contenders. The most significant race in this regard recently was the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay last Saturday.

Sole Volante beat Independence Hall but they come out the same on time, on 113, after weights carried are allowed for. That is about seven below a typical Kentucky Derby winner, and the runner-up – so brilliant on the second of two wins as a juvenile – could also be a doubtful stayer in that judged on this.