Just on the off-chance, I delved into my well-thumbed tower of vintage Racing Aheads to check that I didn't set off on the same foot today as I had last September - not that you'd necessarily notice, and anyway even if you did, it can be rather comforting to revisit old haunts.
Last year I reflected on silly-season August, dominated by the Racing League, Shergar Cup and cricketing novelty The Hundred. This time round the Women's World Cup football has proved a welcome distraction, and I loved what I saw especially when they whacked the Matildas for six (well 3-1) and valiantly lost in the final - not quite good enough for an open top bus and a bank holiday, but close.
Now we are cast into the Keats-inspired 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' September promises to be a golden month for racing. But to re-invite the Scottish bard Robert Burns to the ceilidh, 'the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.' I quoted those famous words of 'Wee Rabbie' in the now 'collectors only' October 2021 issue of Racing Ahead. They were pertinent at the time in connection to the magnificent Baaeed, also the rapidly emerging tennis queen Emma Raducanu in the aftermath of winning the US Open as a 'wild card' entry; at the time both looked invincible, but as we have witnessed in sporting history those final few steps to the mountain peak can be the ones when you falter; only the true greats make it to the top.
The two horses I am most looking forward to seeing this month, one far closer to stardom than the other, are SHAQUILLE and BUCANERO FUERTE.
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Racing Ahead.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Racing Ahead.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
JANGO GOES SAILING BAIE
John Anthony keeps pace with the quickies in the race against the clock
HOPING FOR CLAR SKIES
Andy Newton crunches the numbers ahead of the Clarence House Chase
ROCKING THE COTS
Andy Newton reviews the betting and trends ahead of the Cotswold Chase
ODDS-ON TO TOP THEIR CLASS
Racing to School charity on the march to reach its 250,000th participant
FIBRE'S FIRST FOR FITNESS
Flbre-Beet from British Horse Feeds is the ideal support for horses suffering or recovering from gastric ulcers
COMMAND PAD
Ben Hastie talks to jockey Paddy Brennan about his brilliant career in the saddle and what lies ahead
TAKE HIGH FIVE
Helen Edwards was in Tokyo to see Do Deuce and Yutaka Take nick thriller
JUMPBACK TO FUTURE
reports on jumps return at Windsor after almost two decades
LUMP ON STORMIN' GORMAN
Graham Buddry looks back on twomile ace with no fear of handicapper
PAROL HEADS UP BEN'S TEN
Ben Morgan casts a shrewd eye over his key punting hopes for the month