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I don't. I assess how well the horses actually ran. And so do most of the other speed-figure makers I know.

2.06 seconds is 2.06 seconds. It doesn't matter what lengths per second they are using, as you are trying to quantify what the time differential between two separate races is worth in these circumstances. As it is, they return individual times for horses...

I treat Irish times with a large pinch of salt - even when the times are accurate the starts are not always in the correct place - but at least we had four races all at a mile today. The time comparisons, if they are to be believed, reflect well on Canford Cliffs in my book. Bangalore Gold...

Xtension - 2¾ lengths 4th at Newmarket - and Fencing Master - 4 lengths 7th at Newmarket - were respectively beaten 5.1 lengths into 5th and well held there. Not sure that did anything like as much for the form of the Newmarket race overall as it did for one specific horse who came out of that...

That it is! I think it'll be okay. The main pace is around the 19 to 25 area.

One Way Or Another goes in the Victoria Cup. I felt bullish until the reality of having to take on 28 others with similar aspirations and credentials sunk in...

Those others are: King of Kings 125 form, 129 time Mark of Esteem 127 form, 120 time Zafonic 128 form, 134 time We are probably quibbling over semantics here. To me, it appeared that they took 1f/330 yds to crack on in this year's Guineas and that it was a good pace thereafter. It did not...

2009 Sea The Stars 124 (4 less than form) 2008 Henrythenavigator 117 (-7) 2007 Cockney Rebel 124 (-1) 2006 George Washington 122 (-7) 2005 Footstepsinthesand 110 (-10) 2004 Haafhd 129 (=) 2003 Refuse To Bend 118 (-4) 2002 Rock of Gibraltar 112 (-8) 2001...

Timeform has a timefigure of 121 on the 2000 Guineas, so they think the time was not what you would expect of a slowly run race (and neither do I, fwiw). I thought Hughes did a very good job of getting Canford Cliffs to settle when to begin with all he wanted to do was pull. If he can do that...

Delighted to see that Irish racing is thriving in the face of adversity. Well, if not thriving, at least holding its own.

It would be perfectly reasonable to suggest that this is because the standing of their profession or calling - as opposed to some of the practitioners - was not truly world-class in their native country in the first place.

Don't I know it: I am just pricing up Punchestown for tomorrow...:blink:

I am glad we agree on something! It does not remotely change the fact that world-class Irish-trained horses - of which there have been many - tend to be raced outside Ireland once they have shown they are world-class. The number of Group races that take place in Ireland does not change that...

At the world-class level, Irish horses do. Racing in Ireland does not. Unless you choose to be very permissive in your definition of "significant". It should not be necessary for me to point this out, but I am a fan of Irish racing and wish to see it prosper. I think "prospering" would...

Leaving aside the fact that I like neither of those acts, I would suggest that the health of Irish music should also be judged by the quality of music that takes place in Ireland. However, music is not a particularly good analogy, as Irish (or any other) music can, and does, travel round the...

If Yorkshire funded and ran its own racing, and took umbrage at people suggesting its racing was or was not of a given quality when world-class horses trained in the county seldom ran at home, then I think that would be a reasonable comparison. Instead, it just seems weird in return. :) Ireland...

Quite how you can infer that from what was written is beyond me.

It was simply pointing out that there is a disparity between Ireland's success on the international stage and the number of world-class races it stages itself. That seems to be an incontrovertible fact, and is surely pertinent to any discussion of Irish racing's status. While it may be bad...

It is factual. Some people apparently find facts shallow and pathetic.

So, are you saying in effect that Irish racing - as distinct from its horses, trainers and jockeys - is not world class, and that we should not expect that to change?