AROUND twice as many races are truly-run at the minimum distance of the Nunthorpe as at a mile and a half plus, according to Timeform’s analysis of sectionals and overall times, and falsely-run affairs were much in evidence at the Yorkshire Ebor Festival otherwise.

If there was any doubt that the Yorkshire Oaks belonged in the latter category, that was settled by an overall time equivalent to a figure of just 87. We know that Pleascach can run fast – she did that in winning at Naas (timefigure of 113) and the Curragh (111) earlier this campaign – but she had to run fast only late on in this.