Winter, they say comes in off the tail of the last horse home in the St Leger, so now three weeks after Leading Light took the worlds oldest classic as the climax of four superb days at Doncaster things are turning- and on this weeks evidence that includes the weather.
It’s a trip to Cheltenham for me later this week and in less than three weeks, the horses will charge around Prestbury Park for the first time at the start of their new season- Tempus Fugit!
But before that I have one important appointment in Ireland, one of those special if horribly poignant days. Full marks go to Russell Ferris and his team at Limerick as they host, the day after their biggest day of the year which features the 100,000 Euros Munster National a special race day to raise funds for the Jockeys Emergency Fund who are caring for JT McNamara and Jonjo Bright, two jockeys stricken with life changing injuries in falls earlier this year.
The entry fees, jockeys fees, media rights, admission fees et al on this day are going to the fund, and if you needed any persuading about how much this is a cause dear to those in racing then listen to Tony McCoy’s interview with me about how much everyone in racing has been hit by the plight of their stricken colleagues.
Typically McCoy- an outstanding ambassador for the sport we all salute and with good reason- will be the first on the plane, at the forefront of a day when racing comes together(hopefully with the help of thousands of others) to look after its own.
As McCoy said ‘Once they set foot in the Jockeys Room they are part of us’.
Lets just hope the day gets the support it deserves, even though none of us wish we had to be doing it.