WE are almost exactly halfway through the All-Weather Championships, with Dundalk this Friday hosting the 11th of 24 Fast-Track Qualifiers for Finals Day at Lingfield Park on March 30th.

The best winner in the Championships at the time of writing came early last week, when the redoubtable Caspian Prince conceded weight all round and battled on to beat Atletico by a head in the Betway Conditions Stakes at Newcastle.

I have a timefigure of 113 on Caspian Prince for that effort, which was just 0.07s outside the course record. That is up there with the best timefigures in the nine-year-old’s lengthy career, which includes wins in three Epsom Dashes and a defeat of Marsha in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last July.

The problem where Caspian Prince and the Finals Day is concerned is that he is almost certainly best at five furlongs and the Sprint on Good Friday is over six.

The other recent FTQ went to Summer Icon at Wolverhampton, but this was a particularly slow four-runner affair, and the mare’s timefigure comes out at a measly 45 on my figures.

The proximity of the 100/1 shot In The Red to the winner Arcanada in the Conditions Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday makes the form look suspect, but the time is surprisingly decent and was fastest of the three races at a mile on the card by a long way. I have Arcanada running a 105 timefigure though it is a number I will keep under review.

Dundalk last week was decidedly ordinary fare, but the win of Indian Tomahawk catches the eye as comfortably the quickest of the trio of extended mile and a quarter contests.

That is in part down to the other two being steadily-run affairs, but the time looks good in a wider context also and is worth a figure of 75 in my book.

Both Indian Tomahawk and runner-up Marino Marvel look up to being competitive at a modest level next time also.

It is a shame to have to report that sectional timing at Dundalk still has to be done manually by those enthusiasts prepared to put in the graft.

There was a promise of widespread sectionals in Irish racing this time last year, but nothing appeared in 2017 and no explanation has been forthcoming for this no-show either.