THERE is plenty of good flat racing just around the corner, and some good flat racehorses have been out already, even though some of the skirmishes have been with at least one eye on other days.

The Alleged Stakes at Naas on Friday saw a clash between a St Leger and Irish Derby winner in Capri and a Derby runner-up in Cliffs Of Moher, one which the former won with the latter last of five.

Capri held Cannonball by only a head, but he was conceding weight all round at a trip of just a mile and a quarter, and the overall time puts the performance in a positive light. I have a figure of 117 on the winner, compared to his personal best of 120 at Doncaster and a good season looks to be in store.

Earlier on the card, Psychedelic Funk scored decisively in the Gladness Stakes at seven furlongs, though the timefigure, on what was certainly heavy going, was not so impressive (103) and it remains to be seen if the colt is significantly better than he showed last season.

Deciphering the classic trials at Leopardstown the following day was not much easier, but at least sectionals showed that the colts’ races were well-run, while the fillies’ contest was less so but had a bigger field and seemed to represent a reasonable reflection of the principals’ abilities.

Gustav Klimt stayed on well to beat Imaging (who had some notably good sectionals to his name from Cork the time before) by a length and three quarters and gets a 116 timefigure.

That suggests he could well get placed in the 2000 Guineas, unless it is notably strong, though I am not overly tempted by his odds as favourite for that race.

Gustav Klimt was 0.41s quicker than Who’s Steph, winner of the 1000 Guineas Trial, despite carrying 6lbs more, the latter posting a 104 timefigure.

I have Nelson on a smart 115 timefigure after his game half-length defeat of Delano Roosevelt (111) in the Ballysax Stakes, and the son of Frankel and Moonstone promises to be at least as good at an extra two furlongs. The Pentagon was a well-beaten third but is likely to be a different proposition on a sounder surface.

Any horse could be excused for not running all that fast on Cork’s exceptionally testing surface at present, and Bloomfield’s listed-winning timefigure of 92 in a slow-motion finish there on Sunday could doubtless be improved upon another day.