THE flat turf season can creep up on you and surprise you. You are just trying to get your head around what happened at Cheltenham, and thinking about potential implications for Aintree and Fairyhouse and Punchestown, when suddenly entries are in for Naas on Sunday.

It was a good start to the season on Sunday. There was some good racing and several good performances. Karawaan, for starters, was very good in winning the Tote Irish Lincoln. Karawaan was a well-regarded horse when he was trained by Sir Michael Stoute for Sheikh Hamdan as a three-year-old, but he didn’t really realise his potential as a four-year-old.

Picked up for £32,000 by Gaelic Bloodstock at the Goffs UK Horses-In-Training Sale last August, Ger Lyons has obviously found the key to him and the Sea The Stars gelding put up a really nice performance under Colin Keane to land the feature race on the day.

The handicapper raised him by 10lbs to a mark of 93, but he will still be of interest off his new mark, and he could step beyond handicap company.

Still Standing was impressive in winning the Listed Devoy Stakes. Jessica Harrington’s colt showed a really willing attitude under new stable jockey Shane Foley to come nicely clear of some talented rivals. This was the Mastercraftsman colt’s fifth win in his last six races, and he should be able to continue to progress.

GLORY

Never No More looked good in winning the Madrid Handicap, a race that Awtaad won in 2016 before going on to Guineas glory. Aidan O’Brien’s colt made nice progress down the centre for Donnacha O’Brien, and he kept on well. This was just his fourth run, and it was his seasonal debut, so his potential for progression is obvious.

The Michael O’Callaghan-trained Red Epaulette was impressive in winning the opening juveniles’ maiden, and Fozzy Stack’s horse Wargrave put up a nice performance to make all in the concluding three-year-olds’ maiden.

The pick of Jim Bolger’s three winners was probably Normandel, who was racing for just the second time for Bolger and who kept on well in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes to just hold on from the fast-finishing Hand On Heart.

There were plenty of other horses to take out of the day too. Hand On Heart was one, Fozzy Stack’s filly made significant late headway and just failed to catch Normandel in the Park Express Stakes.

Crockford was another. Joseph O’Brien’s horse did well to get as close as he did in the Madrid Handicap from the rear and from his wide draw.