Sporting greats

I don’t just love jumping horses — I love the folk who train them and ride them and those who watch them doing it, too. Open the sports pages on Sunday or Monday and what do you get in the acres of newsprint devoted to football? A scowling Sir Alex Ferguson ranting that Manchester United have been cheated by a linesman, a petulant Arsène Wenger whingeing that Arsenal have been robbed by a referee, a glum Rafael Benitez blaming the pitch or the weather or a new brand of boot wax for Chelsea’s latest setback. The so-called supporters are even worse. There isn’t even a tribal loyalty any more. A setback or two and they will turn on their own players and jeer them off the pitch. Enjoyment seems an alien concept.

Contrast that with racing. There is no sport more obviously competitive than man and beast giving all together to hurl themselves first past the winning post.