IT is not long now until the classic campaign will be fully under way in Ireland and Britain, and it already is in the US, where “The Road To Kentucky” arguably started in early January.

It cranked up another gear at the weekend, when McKinzie and Bolt d’Oro fought out a thrilling finish to the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, the former passing the post a head to the good but controversially losing the race in the stewards’ room. Timeform US has them running to the equivalent of 115 and 114 on a European scale, which suggests the reappearing Bolt d’Oro was quite a way below his best (127 on my figures).

There was also plenty to like about the near-effortless six and a half-length win of Justify in an allowance optional claimer at the California track on Sunday. Trained by Bob Baffert (as is McKinzie), the son of Scat Daddy earned a 116 from Timeform US on the European scale, having made his debut only in February. He could prove very good indeed.

It is possible that the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mendelssohn, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, will go for the Kentucky Derby via a visit to Dubai.

He made a pleasing reappearance in a listed race at Dundalk on Friday, when he ran a 104 timefigure but put in some sharp sectionals (34.25s last three furlongs) in giving weight and a three-quarter-length beating to his smart stable-companion Threandfourpence. I make him good enough to get placed in either the 2000 Guineas or the Kentucky Derby if delivering his best (and assuming those races are not stronger than usual).

There were also three decidedly useful performances by older horses on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on Saturday, with Second Thought overcoming a poor track position to win a listed Fast-Track Qualifier with a 110 timefigure, Lancelot Du Lac running a 103 timefigure in the sprint handicap and Big Country running a 100 timefigure in the Lincoln Trial.

Over in Dubai, both Jungle Cat (Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, in which Ertijaal failed to get home) and North America (Al Maktoum Challenge) recorded 118 timefigures with me, on an occasion which fell somewhat short of its billing of “Super Saturday”.