LAST week’s Time Will Tell column dealt with the opening day of Royal Ascot 2017, when two course records and a juvenile course best fell on what was clearly particularly firm going.

Against that backdrop, and with no rain forecast or in actuality in the following days, it is understandable that the Clerk of the Course opted to water, which he did relatively sparingly, but to a degree sufficient to bring the surface back to ‘good to firm’ overall and to keep it there judged on times. So far, so good.