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).