VERBAL Dexterity’s 102 timefigure was easily the best by a juvenile in the period under review, followed by Cardsharp on 94 (though the Mark Johnston youngster earlier had timefigures of 99 and 95 to his name). With Royal Ascot just around the corner – after which the picture is likely to change considerably – this seems a good point at which to take stock.

Alpha Centauri remains best of the two-year-olds on 106, for her five-length listed win at Naas, a performance accompanied by notably quick sectionals, and that is the kind of figure which should make her very difficult to beat in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. She had an impressive 95 on her debut on the same course on much firmer ground also.

Jessica Harrington has another speedy sort in Brother Bear, who ran a 101 timefigure in winning the Listed Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh last month. He will need to go faster still to win the Coventry Stakes – it took a 114 effort from Caravaggio 12 months ago – but it could certainly be argued that he is in pole position. He, too, won on firmer ground on his debut, at Leopardstown.

The fastest timefigure by a British-trained two-year-old is the 104 belonging to It Dont Come Easy, who beat Rebel Assault (103) in a course-record time at Musselburgh and he could be a lively one at a big price for the Norfolk Stakes or the Windsor Castle Stakes.

Rebel Assault let down the form when beaten at odds-on at Beverley last Saturday, but that was on softer ground and the filly had also bolted up on her debut to show that the Musselburgh run was not a flash in the pan.

De Bruyne Horse is the other juvenile to have run a 100+ timefigure, earning 102 for his win in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Oaks Day. His Ripon maiden win the time before came by seven lengths and with a 97 timefigure for good measure.

There are plenty of other speedy types to consider, including Denaar (99 timefigure), Heartache (97), Havana Grey (96), Rajasinghe (96) and Aqabah (96). The last-named was only fourth to Brother Bear at the Curragh but might well have been unsuited by the softer ground that day.