Everyone knows the state of the going is fundamental to any race. And since demands differ, providing perfect conditions for everyone is impossible. But the question of what should constitute an acceptable surface, particularly on welfare grounds, is once again under the spotlight.

It was some thrill to see George Cornelius winning the way he did on his first racecourse appearance at Dundalk last Sunday. We knew our horse would put it up to any of them on what we’d seen at home even though we hadn’t asked any questions and physically, he looked far superior to any of them beforehand.