It’s a rainy, cold August Saturday. At lunchtime, Fiona mades us a mouthwatering fish chowder with naturally smoked cod that she picked up for a song in Waitrose at closing time last weekend and froze. A dash of smoked paprika to add to the smoked cod and potatoes, a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley from our herb border in an old bathtub (donated by Caroline) and I was anybody’s! It made a lovely, cosy fug in the house – a real foretaste of autumn – with a very snug feel to our day indoors.

It certainly perked me up for my racing bets. They should have fed her chowder to my racing selections. A losing day on the horse front, probably because of the change in the weather. It has been pouring with rain all night and all day here in Newmarket.