Some of these have been quite critical and questioning – and it is right that it should be queried. However, to attempt to strangle the concept at birth is short-sighted and it must be allowed some breathing space to go about its stated aim. Sniping from the sidelines is easy to do. To get involved and work hard for the business and sport we all love, and need, is another matter.

A critical eye must be kept on the work of the new body, which simply sees representative bodies coming together in common cause to raise awareness of the main issues affecting racing and breeding and lobby for change and improvements. To say that this is already the work of, or should be the aim of, Horse Racing Ireland is only partly true. That body has an ear in Government and its chairman is appointed by the Minister for Agriculture. It has and continues to fight the good fight on behalf of the racing industry, but its sole aim is not to be the saviour of every sector. Its main job is to administer Irish racing on a day-to-day basis. Nobody can deny that progress on numerous pieces of legislation which affect the industry has been painfully slow. We need an umbrella group to provide a more united front in the corridors of power.

To this end I believe that bookmakers should join with the racing and breeding sectors to present a common cause. It is arguable too that leaders within the sport horse industry could also be brought on board where the issues are relevant. There are many aspects of policy that equally affect the thoroughbred and sport horse sectors and these should be fought for together.

What seemed to be overlooked by critics of the new Alliance is that the suggestion for this group came from the politicians. There are so many demands on our ministers and there is no way that having different representative bodies calling on them with the same shopping list is a good idea. They see power in numbers, and being representative of the largest group of interested parties will speak volumes in Government circles.

There is no guarantee of success but we must let this new Alliance make its case. A failure to do something will seriously imperil the future of racing and breeding in Ireland. What a shame it would be if generations of work laying the foundations of our great national asset were to be wasted simply by inaction.