It's nearly the end of the supposed 'summer of chaos' - so where does racing stand in the battle with Animal Rising?

Little by little, there are signs that the summer is over – or as good as over – and we are barrelling down on autumn and all that comes with it.

For me, the final meeting at the July course in Newmarket is always one of those moments, while the inescapable fact that it is September on Friday is rather a clear indicator as well.

This summer was set to be a crucial one for racing. The sport was facing the prospect of a ‘summer of chaos’ invoked by animal rights activists, who would disrupt fixtures and promote their own agendas while seeking to end the use of horses for racing and breeding.