THE fact that there were three races at two and a half miles over hurdles on the opening day at Fairyhouse (when conditions were heavy but not noticeably getting worse) makes for ready comparisons and confident conclusions. Those must include that neither Laurina (Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle Championship) nor Pallasator (Grade 2 Underwriting Exchange Novice Hurdle) had to run especially fast to win their respective races, for they were both slower overall than was Nobody Home in winning an ordinary novice handicap.

More than that, the sectionals from four out and three out were very similar for all three races, though Laurina was several lengths quicker than the other two from two out and the last.

Laurina gets a timefigure of just 116 (compared to her excellent Cheltenham figure of 154), Pallasator one of 125 (compared to 130 when winning at Leopardstown) and Nobody Home (who carried less weight than the other two) one of 121.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Pallasator’s race was the eclipse of the first two favourites, Duc Des Genievres and Scarpeta, last seen finishing closer to Samcro in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle than they managed to do to the winner here. The Ballymore was run in a good time, so there is no need for Samcro fans to panic (which is not really in their nature anyway!) just yet.

Sectionals imply that Laurina could have run a figure in the 140s, with ease, in a truer-run race, but we knew that already. The desire to mop up these easy Grade 1s against her own sex is understandable, but those of us who believe she is good enough to tackle the best hope it does not continue indefinitely!

CORK

The surface at Cork rivalled that of Fairyhouse for its bottomless qualities, though more so on Monday than Sunday. The main race on the earlier day was the Imperial Call Chase, in which Sumos Novios lowered the colours of Mala Beach by two and a quarter lengths, though there are reasons to think that might not quite reflect their respective abilities.

Testing ground or not, the pace was slow for a long way in this, with the runners completing from three out (less than three furlongs from home) around 20 lengths quicker than in the other chase on the card, with the finishing speed coming in at 111%. Mala Beach does not thrive in fast finishes, even in the mud.

BRITAIN

There was little of consequence going on over jumps in Britain in the same period, but one performance on the clock is worth calling out. Unioniste finished alone in a Hunters’ Chase at Wincanton on March 28th but still ran the extended three miles much quicker than the winner of a well-run handicap shortly before.

I have a 135 timefigure, which is higher than that achieved by Pacha Du Polder in winning the Foxhunters’ at the Cheltenham Festival (a race in which Unioniste managed only tenth).