AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 2020 - 31st AUGUST

August Bank Holiday Weekend
What's in store for us this final Bank Holiday before Christmas, and one that would usually signal the end of the long school holidays, but they been closed for months now. While I'm unlikely to venture too far out we are still looking for something to enjoy. Signs of the domestic football season finally restarting again for the 2020-21 season, the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Liverpool will have taken place on Saturday, the Women's shield also taking place between Chelsea and Manchester City. The Scottish Premiership is already well underway but the English games will not begin for couple of weeks yet. 

There is Formula 1 racing in Belgium this weekend, (won by Lewis Hamilton, no surprises there) with their Grand Prix held at the Spa circuit and then we'll have the Italian Grand Prix at Monza next week too.  

Horse Racing Meetings - Monday 31st August
Usually a very busy weekend of racing with festivals taking place around the country most of them traditionally family fun days, sadly this year with no spectators allowed on course the big meetings for instance at Cartmel was run last weekend and there are only three meetings in Uk due today, we will settle for the following few meetings here in Uk and Ireland. Ripon stages the feature for the day their Champion 2yo Trophy (Listed). These are the Bank Holiday meeting's scheduled for today, Sandown Park is an evening fixture which is rare for a Bank Holiday in Uk, would have gone if we'd been allowed. 

Ripon Flat Turf
Sandown Park Flat Turf [Evening]
Southwell Flat All Weather
Downpatrick NH (Ire)
Roscommon Flat (Ire) [Evening]

We shall take a look at the feature races around the various tracks today;
RIPON [1st race 12:15]
Feature event - Ripon Champion 2yo Trophy (6f Listed) @13:50
Selection - Bahrain Pride [James Doyle]. [WON 4/1]
  
SANDOWN PARK [1st race 15:00]
Feature event - Hampton Handicap (5f) @15:35
Selection - Maygold [Oisin Murphy]. [3rd 9/2]
  
SOUTHWELL [1st race 12:00]
Feature event - Thurloe Handicap (5f) @14:40
Selection - Moveonup [e.w.] [Tyler Heard].

DOWNPATRICK [1st race 13:00]
Feature event - Adare Manor Opportunity Beginners Chase [2m 3f] @15:05
Selection - Braid Blue [SF O'Keeffe]. [Unseated 1st]

ROSCOMMON [1st race 16:00]

Feature event - Irish Ebf Median Sires Series Race [7f] @16:00

Selection - San Martino [JA Heffernan]. [Non Runner]

Going home to Plough Lane

With the 2020-2021 Premier League season not set to start until 12th September this year and as a fan of AFC Wimbledon we have just had the League One season fixtures issued for this our fifth year at this level with an opening league game away at Northampton Town, plus the first round of the League Cup vs Oxford United both matches are away which is good as our new stadium on Plough Lane isn't going to be ready for another month or two and even though all games for now will be behind closed doors it would be something to get excited about. The Dons home fixtures will be played at QPR's Loftus Road (Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium) while the building process continues safely at Plough Lane, a date of 25th October has been pencilled in for completion. So our first "home" fixture will be against Plymouth Argyle at QPR though the first real home game at the new stadium could be against Blackpool Town if things go to plan, possibly even with a few fans in attendance if the test events go well.