I was at Musselburgh last week where I rode Hidden Rebel to win the fillies’ handicap for Alistair Whillans while all to drama around the Ladbrokes St Leger was unfolding.

Given the number of races there are every year it’s a relative rarity that a result is overturned in the Stewards’ Room and especially a race of the stature of the St. Leger, so it’s a bit of a shame that the final Classic of the season is still surrounded by so much controversy.

Like everyone else I’ll be waiting to see what happens at the appeal but you have to feel for all the connections concerned and particularly Andrea Atzeni.

No jockey sets out to fall foul of the Stewards and in the heat of the race you’re making split second decisions that can be the difference between winning or losing by a short head so you have to take your chances where you can.

I know there was some comment about the amount of coverage he received personally after the inquiry and although you’d expect it to be uncomfortable, it’s the world we live in these days. If you are high-profile sportsman you have to accept that you’re in the spotlight most of the time.

I see David Casey’s decided to hang up his boots after a great career. He’s been a great ‘go to’ jockey for a lot of people for the last 20 years and bagged some big races on the way. He’s obviously decided that the time is right for him and wish him all the best.

Today is another busy day , and at Ayr I team up with my old mate Fire Fighting in the Listed William Hill Doonside Cup.

He’s a horse I’ve ridden half a dozen times this year and I won the Racing UK Anywhere Zetland Gold Cup on him at Redcar in March.

He’s a tough old horse and we can expect him to run a big race.

I have a good strike rate for Mark Johnston who’s given me a lot of support and his horses are in great form so hopefully we’ll be there or thereabouts.

I ride Finn Class for Michael Dods in the William Hill Ayrshire Handicap.

This race has been his target for some time. He’s won two of his last three starts and he likes the track – in fact, he’s never run a bad race at Ayr.

I rode him to win a mile Handicap in July and he’s been placed a couple of times this season as well so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t run a big race again.

The William Hill Ayr Silver Cup looks like a very competitive race and I ride Fendale, again for Michael Dods. He ran a blinder to finish third at York last time after a couple of months off and he was very unlucky not to have won a Listed race on this day last year.

If he can get a bit more luck in running he’s in with a great chance of making amends.

In the big race, the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, I’m on board Professor.

He won a Conditions race for Richard Hannon last year and then seemed to lose his form. He’s with Michael Attwater now and although he didn’t get off to a great start for his new trainer in three attempts at Meydan at the beginning of the year. He bounced back at Haydock where he seemed much happier and ran well to finish second, but hasn’t been seen on-course since. He’s likely to be a big price so we’ll see what he makes of Ayr.

Off the track it was good to see Chelsea get back to winning ways in their Champions League opener earlier this week. Let’s hope that win marks a return to form for them!

Paul is sponsored by leading racing broadcaster Racing UK, which recently launched its Day Pass. The new service enables racing fans to watch a day’s action for a one-off fee of £10. Visit racinguk.com/daypass and watch today.