KEMPTON, Wetherby, Leopardstown, Chepstow and Cheltenham are covered elsewhere in this column, but that still leaves some significant performances elsewhere to consider. Perhaps the most noteworthy of them all was the win at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day of Bellshill in the Shannon Airport Novice Chase, a contest won by Outlander 12 months before.

The race turned into something of a sprint late on, with Bellshill coping admirably in running out a three and a quarter length winner from Haymount, but it was still run in a time over 10.0s quicker than the handicap chase later on the card.

Bellshill’s timefigure of 147 places him outside the top 10 of novice chasers on time so far this term, but only just, and his heavy defeat of Balko Des Flos at Gowran on his debut looks no worse either after that one got off the mark at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day (137 timefigure). There are few better prospects around than Bellshill.

ALL-WEATHER

The powers that be even managed to squeeze in some decent all-weather racing either side of Christmas. Dundalk’s final meeting of the year – on December 23rd – saw just about the slowest surface of 2016 at the track, with the race won by Ishebayorgrey (94 timefigure) a fast time in that context.

Even higher timefigures of 110 were recorded in Britain by the sprinters Gracious John (second at Newcastle on December 21st) and Spring Loaded (winner at Wolverhampton on December 26th). Both look to be contenders for AW Finals Day at Lingfield at Easter, for which occasion there will be four Fast-Track Qualifiers at Dundalk in March.

There is no obvious race on AW Finals Day at this stage for the twice-raced Naseem, but the son of Sea The Stars could be one we hear plenty of next summer.

An eye-catcher in a fast-time race at Lingfield on his debut, Naseem overcame a car-park draw and some far-from-negligible maiden opposition at Chelmsford on December 22nd to run out a five-length winner. He is a Derby entry, and trainer John Gosden has, after all, been known to run the odd good one on the all-weather in his time.