ALICE and I spend a couple of days in Newmarket. Two major breeding and stallion operations, Juddmonte and Tweenhills, have large marquees at the sales and, as always in the racing world, there is no shortage of take up on some complimentary hospitality and we join these human seagulls with enthusiasm.

We also visit Lanwades and Cheveley Park Studs to look at the stallions. German Derby winner Sea The Moon is the new attraction at Lanwades (where I worked for a season in 1988) and other resident stallions include Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy and Archipenko.