IT has been a sensational week for Sonning race-horse owner Max McNeill and his family with four winners in as many days.

Seddon and Stop The World won successive races over jumps at Cartmel last Friday and a day later Enemy Coast Ahead stormed home by 20 lengths at Uttoxeter.

I A Connect was second in Kilbeggan on Sunday when odds-on favourite, but it was back to winning ways on Monday when The Butcher Said, who had won four times over hurdles, won impressively at Southwell on his debut over the big fences.

Both Cartmel runners were trained by Tim George while the other two winners came from Olly Murphy’s yard.

All four favourites were ridden by Adrian Heskin, wearing McNeill’s blue and white hoops.

l Also wearing blue and white hoops will be Reading FC Women when they kick off their Women’s Super League season against Arsenal at Boreham Wood FC’s Meadow Park on September 6.

New signings Danielle Carter and Emma Mitchell have come from the Gunners, so no doubt Royals manager Kelly Chambers will be picking their brains before the game. WSL fixtures will take place behind closed doors until it is safe for supporters to return, with matches not chosen for broadcast on live television being streamed on the FA Player. Royals’ first home game is scheduled to be against newly-promoted Aston Villa on September 13, although that has still to be confirmed.

It’s good to see them playing at Madejski Stadium rather than at Adams Park in Wycombe.

l But it is pleasing to see former Reading under-16 coach Sam Grace returning to Wycombe, having been appointed head coach to their B team. He previously worked with Wycombe’s youth department under Richard Dobson from 2008 to 2012.

Manager Gareth Ainsworth commented: “The B Team structure has been a long time in the making and we are delighted that we are now able to put plans into action by bringing Sam back to the club to oversee this programme. He is a very talented coach.”

Ainsworth’s occasional appearances for Woodley United was splashed all over page three of The Non-League Paper last Sunday. I particularly liked this comment from United manager Jamie Williams - “We’ve got a young squad and the only thing that makes Gareth any different from the majority of the lads is his taste in music. It doesn’t really fit in the usual playlists the boys prefer.”

Finchampstead resident Ainsworth, who earned the nickname ‘Wild Thing’, has been involved in a number of rock bands.

Column by Dave Wright

davewrightpost@gmail.com