THERE was a good atmosphere at the Curragh over the whole weekend, just as there had been on the opening day. As then, the weather was good and there was a feelgood air about the place. In the intervening three weeks, it was evident that a lot of work had gone on to address some of the issues that were encountered on the opening day. It’s a process.

Fundamentally, this is a seriously impressive racecourse. It is a facility that the quality of the racing surface, and the quality of the horses that compete on it, deserves, one that fits in with the moniker of ‘Home of all Five Classics’ in Ireland, one of the leading countries in the world of thoroughbred racing.