THE Prix Ganay at Saint-Cloud on Monday was the first Group 1 of the European season, and, despite having no Irish representatives and only one (fifth-placed Hawkbill) from Britain, should have a bearing on major races further ahead.

The race went to one-time Derby hope Cloth Of Stars, who seems more at home at this trip of around a mile and a quarter, and who quickened well before just holding Zarak.

The time looks good compared to others on the card, if using universal standard times, and I have gone for a figure of 120 for the winner.

Group 1 or Grade 1 races have been plentiful elsewhere, and one of the more noteworthy recent ones was the QEII Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday.

It went the way of the Japanese raider Neorealism – who Timeform has a 122 form rating on – but was notable as much as anything for the enterprise of jockey Joao Moreira on the winner. Following an early crawl, he rushed his mount into the lead 1000 metres out and was never headed after.

A final 800 metres of 44.80s and a final 400 metres of 22.41s both equate to finishing speeds of 111.2% of the horse’s average race speed. The clock shows that any horse more than a couple of lengths back at either of the sectionals faced a near-impossible task. Hats off to one of the world’s finest jockeys.