THE coverage horse racing receives in the media, in general, has often lagged behind that given to other sports. RTÉ can hold its head up, with consistent coverage of the sport on television, radio, news and online.

One man who played a huge part in this was my dear friend and colleague, Colm Murray, who carried the torch for racing over many years and gave it huge prominence on sports news bulletins on television. In my own small way, I have been trying to fly the flag for the sport in recent years, in an effort to bring it to the attention of a wider audience.