PLATO described emotion and reason as two horses pulling in opposite directions. Decision making is perceived as the competition between an emotion system that is automatic but prone to error, and a reason system that is slow but rational.

Now I don’t intend to dwell on the merits of these assumptions, but they did come to mind when news of the proposed sale of Kempton Park was announced. The immediate and emotional reaction was one of shock, horror and disbelief. The proposers of the sale had a long time to consider it and arguably were making a reasoned suggestion.

The finer details of the proposal have been somewhat lost in the headline making reactions from many leading figures in the business. Interestingly, I have read condemnatory comments from some former high-profile people who are no longer actively involved in the sport, while many others who say it is a bad proposal have then let me know that they never attended a meeting at Kempton.

I am sure that the Jockey Club anticipated the fallout we are witnessing and I am equally certain that there will be much consultation in the days ahead. What we are likely to see are some more measured responses to the news and these will, and have, produced support for the Jockey Club.

Another issue that elicited kneejerk reactions was the coverage by ITV of racing. My gripe is about inaccessibility to the ITV4 channel, though I quickly received a lot of helpful suggestions on social media from those more technologically savvy than me. It was and continues to be an own-goal by the new hosts to make it available on a channel that does not allow the viewer to pause, and more importantly to record, the sport.

The merits or otherwise of the presentation itself is always going to be an issue of debate and of taste. We have to be mindful of the potential for the coverage to attract new viewers who know nothing about the sport. We must also be careful not to dumb it down.

While respecting the current roster of presenters, I have to say that personally I regret that three people in particular were not recruited – Nick Luck, Gina Harding and Simon Holt. All are professionals to their fingertips and their absence is felt acutely.

That said, and off my chest, I do hope that ITV are successful for the sake of the sport, and that we are soon able to access it easily.