I just hope Kempton passes an inspection this afternoon, because otherwise St Stephen’s Day is going to have a very bare appearance indeed.

ASCOT today was duly abandoned yesterday afternoon, so let’s start this week with a glance back at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

I’M at Cheltenham today for Channel 4 and it’s terrific to see some proper racing back on the menu.

NO National Hunt racing today or, you’d imagine, for the foreseeable future gives us a chance to draw breath.

WITH the Fighting Fifth Hurdle being moved to Newbury, we have a proper day’s racing.

It’s not a great weekend to be missing, with some really good racing and even now, I’m guessing at where I’d be riding today if I was fit. But now I don’t have to make a decision, I’m not going to even try to make a call.

I’M just about coming to terms now with what happened at Down Royal last Saturday, it was certainly an afternoon of mixed fortune and mixed emotion.

IF Kauto Star is anywhere near the horse he has been throughout his career then you’d have to think him capable of dismissing the opposition at Down Royal today.

IT would be remiss of me this week not to start with Paddy Mullins, who was, quite simply, a genius and a legend.

I HAVE felt the need, for a little while now, to comment on the manner in which the Turf Club continues to roster its race-day officials.