THE week started well with news that a horse sold last year at the London Sale had won a Grade 1 race. The horse in question, Smoking Sun, had been trained in France for its Greek owners and was sold by Irish auctioneers (us) in London to Ted Voute to race in Saudi Arabia where it has succeeded at the highest level. That is the exactly the result we hope for.

Which is more than can be said for the general election here or the way things are progressing with our neighbours, both to the east or the west.