WE seem to have hit silly season already, which has taken me somewhat by surprise, given the National Hunt season is now officially in full swing, which would lead you to expect the racing itself would be front and centre.

Instead, not only have we been inundated with news about the exciting new concept of “City Racing”, but there was also a big press release about “Championship Horse Racing”, both offering to provide a shot in the arm to a flagging horse racing industry, and both inexplicably having the support of the Jockey Club, but neither providing much vision as to how their product will enrich anyone other than the marketing spivs who have come up with these pea-brained ideas.