CONDITIONS were moderately testing at the Curragh over the two days of the Irish Oaks meeting, though probably just about back to “good” from “good to soft” by the Sunday.

The times recorded by Romanised in the Minstrel Stakes (118) and by Laws Of Indices in the Railway Stakes (105) were both decent in the circumstances and achieved efficiently in sectional terms.

The latter caused a big shock, and might not have beaten an awful lot, but Romanised was merely underlining again how good he is by taking down 113-rated Lancaster House fair and square.

Twilight Payment won his second successive Curragh Cup earlier on the card, this time by wide margins.

But the suspicion is that only he and third-placed Camphor (rated 97) ran near to their best, and the overall time was unexceptional. Twilight Payment has had his previous best of 112 reinstated.

There were three Group 2s on Sunday’s card, and by a long way the best of the winners was A’Ali in the five-furlong Sapphire Stakes, in which he came from some way back to account for 110-rated Make A Challenge by a length.

The time was unspectacular compared to the ordinary handicap later on, but A’Ali did run the last two furlongs in approximately 22.35s and now stands on a figure of 118, good enough to win a Group 1 if things go right. He has loads of speed.

Found out

That description also covers 102-rated Frenetic, who seemed to be found out by the extra furlong of the six-furlong Airlie Stud Stakes and was passed close home by Aloha Star, who was running to 98.

The Kilboy Estate Stakes was slowly run and ended up messy, with only about two lengths covering the first seven home of eight runners. Lemista emerged on top, running a timefigure of only about 50 but worth keeping on 102 overall.

The 104-rated One Voice got no luck in fifth.

The best of a trio of two-year-old maidens over the two days was the one won by Mac Swiney in a surprisingly good time on Saturday, a 95 performance with the likelihood of more to come from him and the next few home.

Sonaiyla’s win under 10-02 in the Fillies’ Premier Handicap on Sunday was another strong performance on the clock, her 111 figure good enough to make her a potential listed or Group 3 winner.

Keats was easily fastest of three winners at a mile at Killarney on Wednesday, returning a 101 timefigure and paying something of a compliment to stable-companion Napa Valley, who beat him at the Curragh and is now rated 102.

Delphi’s win in the Listed Nijinsky Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday was at the longest distance on the card and difficult to get a handle on, a figure of 103 after sectionals possibly conservative.