Summer jumps can be great if we get it right - as these old favourites showed

The biggest day of the summer for jump racing comes at a time when much has been written recently about the lack of appetite for the sport at this time of year. Small fields have led to a disincentive to bet, and a collective ennui has developed – the cry seems to be that there is too much of it and it isn't interesting.

It is sad it has come to this because I recall when summer jumping was something to look forward to, and the races and horses taking part added a distinct flavour and excitement to the racing programme.

I was raised in the West Country, and memories of attending early season jumps fixtures – the season used to start at the end of July after an eight-week break – have remained. Newton Abbot and Market Rasen were the traditional curtain-raisers, and although more than 30 years have passed I still remember the jumpers specifically laid out for these early races who earned cult status.