Summer to Autumn, the period of the racing calendar when the better horses are in the spelling paddocks, resting and waiting for the call to arms, with the major races still some weeks away.

Adam Sangster’s Swettenham Stud Summer Series of races has filled the void, injecting additional interest back into racing instead of taking it out.

Known as the Summer Championship, with the final won by the Brian McKnight trained, Le Remas, a much improved gelding, from winning a rated 70 class race at Sandown, to the Listed Swettenham Stud John Dillon Stakes at Caulfield.

The ten race series is on again next year with the same stakes distribution, which has proved great benefit to all sectors of the racing industry.

Sadly the New Year Day’s Standish Handicap -Bagot double is about dead on the vine, there is little interest shown nowadays, certainly since they ceased being feature doubles races.

Fortunately the Swettenham Summer Series is a winner and putting back some of the spirit into racing.