The pressure's on as competition increases on track and in the sales ring

And so it begins again. We're back after the summer break heading into an autumn campaign that provides a shop window for members of the four-year-old and five-year-old crops who may have needed more time than the faster-maturing horses who dominated maidens last winter and spring.

Many of the most promising youngsters found new homes well before the end of last season, giving the top producers and handlers the ammunition to restock at the store-horse sales.

It's always about reinvestment, either a case of upgrading facilities or bidding to compete for the strongest pedigrees and the best-looking individuals at the sales.