We lost almost three months of this year’s Flat season because of Covid, but as we look ahead to a clear run through winter, we can reflect on a magnificent summer on the level. Our 28 winners included three at Royal Ascot and one on Champions Day, amassing earnings of more than £552,000 for the owners, but now the focus is very much on the 2020-21 Jumps season.

An unusually dry Autumn has meant that we have already been able to bag two decent prizes with Sceau Royal, who will see-saw between hurdles and fences this season. He looks to have thrived for the wind operation. It is also great to have The Glancing Queen back, and we have put a line through last season as she threw a splint early on and it took most of the winter to get her sound. She looks great again now, so, hopefully, she can make up for lost time in the mares novice hurdles.

Similarly, we have high hopes for Edwardstone, who was a classy novice hurdler last season and ran creditably in the Supreme at Cheltenham considering our horses were not firing at the time. He is a big, strong individual who could be exciting when going chasing, but we’ll stick with hurdles early on and take a view on fences later.

There are plenty of promising young horses coming through the ranks, too, and there is no place like Cheltenham, so here’s hoping we can have cause for celebration there in March. And fingers and toes are also firmly crossed that the owners will be there to see it!

ALAN KING