IF you are not quite sure where you stand on the subject of “how good is Laurina?” and “what will be her best conditions?” then you are not alone. And you are probably not much wiser after her bloodless win against just one rival in the listed mares’ hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

That rival was the dual handicap winner Sensulano, and Laurina beat her easily by 48 lengths, but the times, sectionals and everything about the performance suggested that the former failed to run her race.

In terms of a time trial, Laurina can be credited with a figure of 131. Her best remains her 154 in walking away with the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the last Cheltenham Festival, though that was set up for a good time (and Laurina could hardly have been more impressive).

UNPROVEN

That proved Laurina is good at two miles – perhaps even Champion Hurdle good – when the ground is soft and the pace is strong, but her suitability to the trip under different circumstances is unproven. We may not get another chance to evaluate her before the middle of March.

One race on the card that was undoubtedly a proper test was the Veterans’ Handicap Chase over an extended three miles. Houblon Des Obeaux won by 15 lengths, running a smart 148 timefigure, but things would have been close between him and Buywise had that one not come down at the last.

Interestingly, sectionals show that if Buywise had continued to close at the same rate up the run-in as he had between the last two, he would have won by about 0.07s, or just under half a length.

Things are not necessarily that straightforward but a bit of evidence is always welcome. Buywise traded at 11/10 in running just before he departed, incidentally.

SUPPORTERS

Those were the odds at the off for the star French five-year-old Master Dino at Plumpton the following day, and his supporters did not have many moments of worry (for all that he touched nearly 2/1 along the way).

A 164-rated hurdler (on my figures), Master Dino ran this near-20-furlong chase in a time a whopping 15.5s faster than the winner of an admittedly ordinary handicap chase later on the card, the majority of the difference coming on the final circuit. I make this worth a timefigure of 153 from Master Dino – who deserved to be high up the betting for the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival until a serious injury came to light a few days later – and penalised runner-up Knocknanuss (150) lost no caste in defeat. By way of comparison, Master Dino is a better horse than Long Run was with a similar background at around the same time.

There was another good winning effort on the clock from the novice The Two Amigos in the Sussex National, also at Plumpton, worth 146 by my reckoning from this doughty stayer.