A QUARTET of Group 3 races in Ireland started with the Group 3 Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown last Thursday, when the Derby runner-up Madhmoon returned successfully to a mile to land the odds in workmanlike fashion by a length and a half from Zuenoon.

This was a true enough contest judged by sectionals, with a finishing speed close to par of 103.2%, and Madhmoon gets a 112 timefigure with no upgrade on the back of it, compared to his best of 119. Runner-up Zuenoon closed quite well from further back and gets rated 110.

Southern France and Buckhurst won the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial and Group 3 Royal Whip respectively at the Curragh the following evening, with the former turning in his best effort since shaking up Stradivarius in the Yorkshire Cup and returning a 115 sectional rating.

Buckhurst ran an overall time only a little quicker than Ultra Pride managed in an ordinary handicap at the same distance in the following race and can be rated only 86 overall but is better judged on his 113 best previously.

Tarnawa got back on track by taking the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork in solid fashion by two and a half lengths from Simply Beautiful, resulting in a 105 timefigure.

There were also listed wins from Goddess (105 sectional rating) at Gowran, Millisle (98 in a well-run contest) at the Curragh and the penalised Flight Risk (112) at Cork. The last-named has been well-placed to win three times already this year despite being a rung or two below the top grade.

The Group 2 Unibet Hungerford Stakes was the main attraction at Newbury on Saturday, and it went to Glorious Journey, who had only won at a lower level previously. His effort should not be sniffed at, however, as the clock shows that he ran a time much quicker than the other two seven-furlong races on the card and did so by running fast early and digging deep on what was borderline “soft” and “good to soft” going.

Glorious Journey gets a 118 basic timefigure, nudged up to 120 on sectionals (96.6% finishing speed), with Librisa Breeze (117/118) and Safe Voyage (113/114) chasing him home and some of the also-rans receiving quite big upgrades due to weakening out of things late on.

The Geoffrey Freer, earlier on the Newbury card, was a more evenly-run contest, though there is a suspicion that it may not amount to a huge deal on form. Technician, who was striking a blow for the three-year-olds, and the penalised Morando both come out at 116 after some adjustments for sectionals, but that is subject to review.

Three consecutive races over six furlongs on the Ripon card on Saturday made for some meaningful time comparisons. Dakota Gold, winner of the Great St Wilfrid Handicap, looked destined for better having run a 109 figure here, a point he confirmed at York a few days later.

Growl, winner of the consolation race, comes in at 93, while Ventura Lightning (99) achieved more than it first appeared in landing the Ripon Hornblower Stakes.

Sectionals shed more light on some of the other major winners in Britain in the period under review. Fanny Logan is thriving now and stormed away to win a listed race at Salisbury by seven lengths, recording a 112 effort on time and sectionals combined.

Kick On held Accidental Agent by just a nose in the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes at the same course the following day but can be rated at 114 (runner-up 115) after sectionals have been allowed for.

Orlaith (98) and Thunderous (101) were fairly useful juvenile listed winners at Newbury, while the four-year-old Perfection (104) gained just reward at a similar level at Pontefract on Sunday.