GET READY FOR A GOLDEN MONTH

Sky Sports Racing's front man is glad silly season is over and there's lots to look forward to

- ROBERT COOPER

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.