Dear racing authorities - you were right about Covid measures, and I was wrong

Let me bring you back to early June, if you wouldn't mind. Those days that were built on the pillars of prosperity being just around the corner; when we were able to get out of bed because the worst was behind us.

Mutadaffeq had just won a 2m handicap at the Curragh and winning trainer Gavin Cromwell was telling us how he did it. Just two of us, mind. That was the quota of reporters allowed into the parade ring.

"Move back a bit, David," came a request from some guy I did not recognise. "You're not two metres away from him."