WHILE the Irish Oaks was the only Group 1 in Europe in the period under review, it was not the race with the fastest overall winning timefigure, in part due to its tactical nature.

The Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh was just about the pick, with back-to-form Havana Grey (116) seeing off the previous year’s winner Caspian Prince (112) in a race in which a few outsiders were too close to the principals for comfort.

Fellow sprinters Yafta – winner of the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury – and George Bowen – successful under a big weight in a handicap at Hamilton – were close behind on 115 and 114 respectively, the former benefiting from runner-up Projection (also 115) getting checked at a crucial stage.

There was another smart effort in a handicap when Vintager (113) struck yet another blow for three-year-olds in the quite valuable mile contest at Newmarket.

Neither of the Group 2 winners at the Curragh – Larchmont Lad in the Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes and Magical in the Kilboy Estate Stakes – had to run especially fast, other than late on, and recorded timefigures of 96 (finishing speed in region of 107%) and 75 (115%) respectively.

The pace was steady rather than slow for the Icon Meld Stakes won by Turret Rocks with a 100 timefigure at Leopardstown last Thursday. But, with less than two lengths covering all four runners at the line, positioning may have made the minimal difference (Curly in fourth was actually fastest of all late on).

Raymond Tusk had bitten off more than he could chew in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown the time before and was far more at home in listed company at Hamilton on Friday, when he prevailed by two and a half lengths from the reliably useful Austrian School with a timefigure of 97.

Emotionless and Worth Waiting were other listed winners in underwhelming times, the former (a one-time leading classic fancy) getting things his way up front at Newbury and running to 99, the latter comfortably best in a messy contest at Newmarket for which the timefigure was just 50.