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.