IT’s hard to put an accurate rating on the performance of Ol’ Man River (24-pace adjusted 35) as his race was the only short contest run around the round course at the Curragh.

The best I can do is compare his race with the other mile race, a handicap over a course where times are similar. He ran the final three furlongs (which is common to both tracks) 2.2 seconds faster than they went in the handicap and clocked a final time 1.96 seconds slower.