THE autumn season reaches its delayed conclusion tomorrow at Tattersalls, and it will not be long until attention soon turns to the new crop of four-year-olds, who are currently being readied for their competitive debuts early next year.

Their first opportunity to run between the flags will come at either Ballinaboola or Bellharbour on February 1st, and the countdown to that began last week when the first crop of 2026 four-year-olds received their hunter certificates.