Why nine and ten-race cards must be a permanent fixture in the post-Covid world

Racing is back in Britain and Ireland and so good has the action been since June 1 it is almost easy to forget the sport is facing its greatest challenge in decades.

Tempting fate though it might be, the protocols put in place to enable the sport to return behind closed doors appear to be working, while the changes to the Pattern resulted in a feast for racing fans last week.

There does not look to be any need to put an asterisk by the names of this year's two Classic winners so far, the races may have been run a month later than normal but nobody could suggest Kameko and Love are not worthy of that status.