IT took notably fast conditions to allow Logician to complete a course record in winning the St Leger at Doncaster last Saturday, but it also took a very good effort from him as well to break Masked Marvel’s 2011 benchmark by 0.17s, or roughly a length.

Logician had more than that margin to spare over, in order, Sir Ron Priestley, Nayef Road and Sir Dragonet, having soon relaxed into a typical middle-distance stayer’s stride before unleashing some sharp sectionals in the closing stages.

The time merit of Logician’s win, after taking into account all the relevant factors, is 125 on my figures, 1lb below what he achieved in winning the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in similar style. The next three come in at 120, 120 and 119 respectively, with Sir Dragonet confirming his previous best despite it seeming like he didn’t quite get home.

Logician is a good and unbeaten St Leger winner, with the speed to return to 12 furlongs, though this was perhaps not quite as one-sided a display as some have made it out to be.

The St Leger at Doncaster contrasted markedly with the Irish St Leger at the Curragh the following day in terms of how it was run. The gallop in the latter was very stop-start, resulting in a poor overall time but some fast late sectionals (everything in the field had a finishing speed of 109.5% of their race speed or higher). Search For A Song was in the lead turning in, if perhaps not entirely by design, and had more than enough in reserve to hold on.

Her sectionally-adjusted time gives a figure of 117, but sectionals also suggest that the runner-up Kew Gardens (123) should have won by a length or two. At least the latter seems back to his best, or near-best, though with time running short this year.

Southern France in third and Cross Counter in fourth get marked up less – to 118 and 117 respectively – and the latter was a little disappointing with an attempt at a repeat win in the Melbourne Cup in mind. He went there last year on the back of stronger time performances, and was carrying much less weight, of course.