After yesterday's family fun day at Folkestone I was looking forward to something more sedate at Ascot.
Imagine my shock upon arriving at Ascot's final jump fixture of the season, only to find they too were having a family fun day. Of course, being Ascot they manage it in style and it appeared every child in the Borough had turned up.
I know today's children are the racegoers of tomorrow - I just wish they had decided to go racing tomorrow and not today.
Anyway there was racing to enjoy.
2:20 Carraig Insurance Maiden Hurdle
An open race on paper and so it turned out to be in reality, with it being difficult to call the winner until the closing stages.
Nicky Henderson was double handed in the race and it was his seemingly second string Hora who took the spoils with the first string Prince De Beury finishing a running on third.
It was the Noel Chance gelding Commander Kev who denied Henderson the one - two.
2:55 Ritz Club Novices Chase
Whilst the official Veterans chase may not be until later in the card, there were a number of old favourites on display in this race.
With two non-runners only four went to post and within seconds of the start it effectively became a three horse race.
Outsider The Preacher decided he was going to race at his own pace and that pace was dead slow.
Indeed just after a few furlongs he was already a fence behind the others.
Gentle John on the other hand decided his pace was going to be turbo as he soon established a 20 length lead.
This left the other two, Fandani and Orpen Wide to hack along together, between the two extremists.
For most of the race the positions remained unchanged. Approaching Swinley Bottom for the final time Fandani made a move and, briefly, it looked as though the move may have been decisive as he got to within three lengths of the leader. Turning into the straight however he was soon under pressure and quickly faded.
This left the way open for Orpen Wide to make his challenge and, unlike Fandani, he pulled it off - jumping into the lead and winning by a widening 15 lengths, with Fandani a distance back in third.
By now The Preacher was two fences behind the leader but still happily plodding on for the fourth place prize money.
I am sure, had she been so inclined, judge Di Clarke could have made a cup of tea before calling The Preacher home fourth.
3:30 Execution Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle
Another of those handicaps where almost anything can win and sure enough it threw up a long priced winner.
Watching the finish of the race was like going back 20 years with Scudamore riding a strong finish on a Pipe horse. Except this time instead of Peter and Martin it was Tom and David.
The result was no less impressive as young Tom came with a perfectly timed ride to deny Charlie Mann's Shavansky by a length with the favourite Tamimi's History in third.
4:05 Equishare Handicap Chase
If race prizes were handed out for effort then Oakfield Legend would have won this race with a brave front running performance.
As it was Kew Jumper emerged from the pack to take a four length victory.
Then just to rub salt into the wound he was done on the line for second by the favourite Jaunty Times.
4:40 K-Lift Veterans' Handicap Chase
These veterans' chases are becoming increasingly popular and it gives followers of the sport the chance to see old favourites racing against their peers.
The first drama came at the final fence on the first circuit when El Vaquero took a crashing fall, in the process sliding along the ground, dragging jockey Denis O’Regan under him. In the process he bought down Kelrev who threw Robert Thornton into the ground. Both horses were soon on their feet but the jockeys were down for a long time until both eventually walked away. They were down long enough to necessitate the omission of the fence on the final circuit.
It could be argued the omission of the final fence had an impact on the result as the flagmen were not clearly visible and it was not until very late that the riders veered across to avoid the obstacle. Briery Fox who was running along the far rail was most inconvenienced and only going down by ¾ of a length he must be considered an unlucky loser.
Out The Black was the fortunate benefactor with long time leader Snoopy Loopy back in third.
Old favourite Limited Edition pulled up lame after the final fence.
5:15 Pertemps Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Final
Another tale of heartache for a front runner, this time it was Emma Lavelle’s Migwell who was denied as the popular favourite Scots Dragoon did him on the line to take the race by ¾ length.
These two finished 10 lengths clear of the third placed Fountain Hill.
Disappointment of the race for me was Herecomestanley who flattered to deceive at one point only to finish a very disappointing sixth.
5:50 betinternet.com Hunters' Chase
A Hunters Chase to close the season at Ascot, disappointingly it was a race only in name – a procession would be a more accurate description as the well backed 5/2 favourite Lord Nellerie made all to demolish the field by 23 lengths from Howard Howard with Bell Rock a further 16 lengths back in third.